COVID-19: President Buhari Commends Stakeholders, Urge Nigerians To Be Calm And Obey Instructions

Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria has commended the efforts of all stakeholders including state governments and other institutions as well as individuals working in containing the spread of coronavirus in Nigeria.

The President who also gave the commitment and assurance of his administration in tackling the outbreak urged all Nigerians and other residents in the country to comply with regulations and restrictions on movement.

He noted that the regulations were necessary to ensure the safety of everyone.

President Buhari made the declaration in a statement on Thursday through his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu which was made available to Naija News.

“President Muhammadu Buhari commends unity of purpose in fighting spread of COVID-19 in the country, particularly the willingness for self-isolation, social distancing, and contributions of public spirited individuals and institutions who consistently mobilize resources to supplement efforts of Federal and State governments.”

“The President extols State Governments, religious bodies, health workers, Federal Government agencies, including security outfits, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria for rising to the occasion to protect the country and its citizens, assuring that the government will remain steadfast in deploying more resources to lessen the burden of the pandemic.”

“While calling for more compliance with regulations and restrictions on movement and gatherings for the safety of all citizens, President Buhari further reassures that government directives will not affect production and distribution of food, medications, medical equipment and other essentials as the nation wades through the global health challenge, which already portends dire economic strains.”

Speaking further in the statement, President Buhari issued a directive for all relevant agencies to ensure all necessary things are put in place to ensure the country continues to run normally and overcome the present challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak.

“The President directs all relevant agencies and regulators to provide enabling environment for industries to sustain their operations by ensuring reasonable access to industrial supplies and inputs like water, fuel, gas and essential infrastructure and relaxing of stringent laws, commending the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and commercial banks for the interventions to make forex and credit more accessible to those on the manufacturing line.”

“In giving assurances of firm support for the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria by proactively addressing the potential impact of the pandemic on the Nigerian economy, the President requests that all necessary measures be put in place to protect and promote the health and safety of industrial workers.”

While expressing the belief that Nigeria and Nigerians will overcome, the President called on all leaders in the country to support the government while the citizens should avoid spreading fake news.

“President Buhari calls on all leaders across the country, including religious and traditional leaders, to further support the Federal and State governments in the ongoing sensitization programmes on the need to stay at home and keep a safe distance in the public, and to dissuade citizens from panic buying and rumour mongering.”

“The President affirms that the collective effort of all Nigerians will make a historic difference in checking the spread of COVID-19, rehabilitating those already affected and keeping citizens alive and.”