By Chimezie Godfrey
The CLEEN Foundation has called for disciplinary action against law enforcement agents that are allegedly extorting citizens at the interstate borders.
The organization also urged commercial banks to increase the number of active branches across the federation to support compliance to physical distancing directives.
In a statement late Monday, the Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Dr Benson Olugbuo disclosed that Nigerians have started adjusting to the phased opening of the economy as announced by President Muhammad Buhari on 27th April 2020, but said that gaps have equally been identified that need to be addressed.
According to him, the foundation during its investigations identified that there was insufficient testing centers in several states of the federation and no clear indication on the status of our contact tracing, isolation and treatment of patients.
He said other gaps identified by the foundation include poor enforcement of government directives on citizens by law enforcement agencies, low compliance to social distancing in most banks and markets, and complicity of security operatives, who allow interstate movements despite the restrictions imposed by both the Federal and state governments, among others.
Olugbuo recommended that government should take disciplinary action against security personnel extorting from citizens at the interstate borders.
“Commercial banks are encouraged to set up more branches especially in urban areas with high population as this will support social distancing measures by bank customers.
“Religious centres and social gatherings have continued to operate in states with partial lockdown rules. Religious leaders and business owners should comply fully with government’s directives on COVID-19.
“Security institutions and their oversight agencies are encouraged to sustain internal and external disciplinary measures to discipline personnel who are guilty of extorting citizens and violating human rights to serve as deterrent to other officers,” he stated.
He pointed out that despite the rising number and apprehension from concerned citizens, some citizens appeared to live in denial regarding the existence of the coronavirus disease in Nigeria.
He added that compliance by citizens to COVID-19 directives by the federal and respective state governments will go a long way to curtail the further spread of the virus.
The Executive Director point out that the provision of testing centers in all the 36 states of the country remained an effective measure to stop the further spread of the coronavirus disease.
He mentioned that Kogi state remained a key state in the effective implementation of the ban on interstate movement given its very strategic geographic location as a nodal state linking many other states.
“The Presidential Task Force and the Kogi State Government should collaborate with security agencies to ensure compliance,” he said.
“The mass movement of Almajiri children during the coronavirus pandemic exposes them to various risks. Each state government is encouraged to set-up special social protection programs in their states to cater for the needs of the children pending the development of a more sustainable plan.
“Owners of hotels and other recreational centres are encouraged to conform completely with the preventive measures set by each respective state government.
“The reported cases of unprecedented records of deaths in Bauchi, Hadejia and Kaura Namoda as well as some parts of Yobe should be subjected to urgent clinical inquiry to ascertain the cause of deaths in these states,” he recommended.
