The Federal Government yesterday clarified that it has not declared a fresh lockdown of the country following confirmation of a second wave of COVID-19.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who gave this clarification when he featured on a radio programme in Abuja, said the directives and position of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 at its briefing on Monday, did not translate to partial or total lockdown as reported in some sections of the media.
He allayed the fears of Nigerians and some listeners that called-in during the programme that a lockdown might have negative effects on the already-stressed economy.
Mohammed explained that what the Federal Government had done was to reduce the chances of mass gathering by directing its workers from Level-12 below to work from home and also reiterated the already existing ban on night clubs and other COVID-19 protocols.
The minister said that the government also reminded Nigerians that the ban on social gathering is still on and Churches and Mosques should obey the social gathering rules.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the mandate of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 until March 2021. He gave the approval on Tuesday at a meeting with members of the task force at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to the President, recent reports have indicated that Nigeria is facing a rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases, a situation that is similar to the second wave of infections recorded in other countries, adding that new epicentres have been identified and Nigeria cannot afford to lose the gains of the last nine months.
At the meeting, President Buhari received the end-of-year report of the task force led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha.
