COVID-19 LockDown: See How Best Buhari Can Help Vulnerable Nigerians During This Period

President Buhari has officially extended the lockdown for another 2 weeks. This means Lagos, Ogun and Abuja are heading towards a month of disruption in their daily activities.

This will surely have a drastic effect on the businesses and source of livelihood of Nigerians.

While the lockdown is an important and informed decision to slow down the spread of the corona virus disease and extensively allow health workers perform their testing of Nigerians without hiccups, the government needs to map out plans to make Nigerians comfortable in this perilous period.

Feeding is the most important aspect that should be looked into. Food security has been hit by the pandemic and it will take only serious governments to handle that aspect effectively. Many Nigerians are already agitating for good feeding relief as the social intervention campaign provided in states like Lagos and Ogun has been regarded as ineffective.

According to NASSCO, as of January 31, 2020, the 9.45 million Nigerians in poverty were from 2.25 million poor and vulnerable households. That these people are hungry is an understatement.

The only strategic solution is to build a Food Bank in all affected Senatorial Districts.

Countries like Rwanda, Dubai, Germany and France have functioning food banks that have been helping their citizens during this period. Nigerian government too can provide such. Nigeria is financially buoyant enough to make this happen. We can utilize the Abacha loot here.

How?

A stadium in each affected Senatorial District can be rebuilt into a big kitchen where paid cooks working in shift will live for the rest of the pandemic.

Nigerian farmers will be involved. They will provide fresh agricultural products that will be converted into cooked meals by the cooks.

Logistic-wise, Delivery men will be employed and trained on the rudiments of socializing during this period. All they will have to do is distribute to people’s doorsteps daily. If this is done, Nigerians will stop moving about unnecessarily and the spread of the virus can be remarkably reduced.

Once again, I will like to reiterate that there is enough money to make this work only if the government is ready to look into this practical suggestion.

STAY SAFE and share till this gets to the right authorities.