President Muhammadu Buhari has just been briefed in the State House, in Abuja, by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the next line of actions against the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic.
The PTF team led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the PTF, Mr Boss Mustapha updated the President on the level of compliance by Nigerians to the regulations and guidelines in the last four weeks since the second phase of the eased lockdown commenced.
Mustapha was accompanied to the meeting with President Buhari by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; the National Coordinator of the PTF on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu; and the Director-General of the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu.
President Buhari had on April 27 announced the gradual easing of a five-week lockdown in FCT, Lagos and Ogun state.
The lockdown was eased to a nationwide night curfew (8 p.m. to 6 a.m.) from May 4 to May 17. The first phase of the lockdown was subsequently extended by two weeks elapsed midnight on June 1.
The second phase which was implemented over four weeks spanning June 2nd – 29th, is still subject review.
In the second phase, the government had relaxed restrictions on banking operations and worship places.
Meanwhile, the Federal government had retained nationwide curfew but the time was reduced from 10 pm to 4 am, to limit social interactions and, therefore, reduce the risk of the transmissions of the virus which is now on community transmission level.
It had also removed restrictions on the movement of goods and services in the second phase.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK