#COVID-19: Manage Situation, Shun Locking Down Economy, Royal Father Tells FG

#COVID-19: Manage Situation, Shun Locking Down Economy, Royal Father Tells FG

By Charity Uwakwe

The Federal Government of Nigeria has been advised to rather prudently manage the second phase of COVID-19 outbreak in the country than embark on a second Nationwide lockdown.

This is following the speculated total lockdown of the Federal Government, a call that last undeniably left all and sundry fidgeting.

The Chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers, Umuahia North, HRH Eze Onyebuchi Ibezim maintained that locking down the economy of the nation would rather deteriorate the already deplorable situation.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with FamousReporters, weekend, at his palace, in Amuzukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North LGA of Abia State, the renowned royal father insisted that Nigeria must draw knowledge from the civilised world.

Eze Onyebuchi lamented that the year 2020 ended, leaving millions of people in utter devastation.

He recounted on the pains and agonies of the poor masses who fed from hand-to-mouth while the order subsisted.

Recall that the people were thrown into obvious penury following the pandemic and subsequent shutting down of the economy.

His words: “Locking down the economy is no longer fashionable because we learn from the civilised world. So, if the advanced countries can’t lock down because they’re afraid of locking down, so I don’t think the best thing to do is to lock down. This is because, if you lock down, you have problem and if you don’t lock down, you still have problem. So, the best thing to do is to manage the situation because we don’t know how many people who will die of hunger.

Eze Ibezim implored the Federal Government to deduce effective measures to manage the pandemic suspend and plans of shutting down.

He, therefore, charged Nigerians and the world in its entirety to endeavour to always strictly to the various laid down COVID-19 protocols to mitigate its spread.

The measures, he pointed out included observance of
social distancing, regular washing of hands with running water and the use of nose masks and alcohol based sanitizer.

“So, they should completely allow them freedom then COVID-19 will gradually fizzle out. What they do abroad now is to manage the pandemic and obeying certain COVID-19 rules such as social distancing, regular washing of hands with running water and the use of alcohol based sanitizer, as well as consistent wearing of nose mask.