Royal Times of Nigeria.
  • News
    • Politics
    • World
  • Opinions
    • Editorial Opinion
    • Advertorial
  • Metro
  • Lifestyle
  • Foreign
  • Sports
  • Editorial Policy
TRENDING
Egypt to suspend role in United Nations’ Force...
One Dead, Twenty-one Injured in Lagos-Ibadan Road Crash
Nigerian Air Force says many Terrorists Killed In...
INEC Says no APC Senatorial Candidate in Yobe...
Catholic Church in Nigeria, Rejects Governor Lalong’s Apology...
Pregnant woman, seven others sustain injuries in Jerusalem...
Fulani Calls For Justice Over Recorded Deaths in...
Group gives Independent National Elecctoral Commission seven days...
Nigeria Labour Congress expresses concern with recommendations to...
Five NYSC Members to Repeat Service in Sokoto
Bayo Lawal To Act As Oyo Governor For...
Thieves storm Katsina Government House, steal N31m
President Buhari Vows Safe Rescue Of Kaduna Train...
Farm Workers Allegedly Kill Owner In Kwara
Anyone Who Says Nigeria Is Fine Needs To...

Royal Times of Nigeria.

Banner
  • News
    • Politics
    • World
  • Opinions
    • Editorial Opinion
    • Advertorial
  • Metro
  • Lifestyle
  • Foreign
  • Sports
  • Editorial Policy
COVID-19News

COVID-19 : States list enforcement obstacles as Nigerians shun compliance

written by Taiwo Adediran February 9, 2021
COVID-19 : States list enforcement obstacles as Nigerians shun compliance

State governments on Monday explained obstacles to the enforcement of COVID-19 Health Protection Regulation 2021, which was signed by the President,Muhammadu Buhari on January 27.

Our correspondents, who monitored major cities across the country on Monday, observed that many residents were not complying with COVID-19 protocols such as wearing of face masks and social distancing.

Officials of state governments, including Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Enugu and Niger, who spoke  on Monday explained difficulties in enforcing the safety rules as the police vowed to use “coercive measures” to ensure compliance.

According to the regulations signed by the President, any person that contravenes provisions of the regulations, upon conviction, risks a fine or a term of six months imprisonment or both in accordance with Section 5 of the Quarantine Act.

While Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu, attributed low compliance to lack of political will, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, linked non-enforcement of the protocols to the police.

The Enugu State Commissioner for Information Mr Chidi Aroh, said with the high level of non-compliance, mass arrest of people would be difficult.

Commenting on the COVID-19 rule enforcement, the Cross River State Commissioner for Health,  Edu, said, “The political will is not strong all the way down. We need that political will. It should not stop at the level of the President signing an Executive Order. There should be discussions at the level of governors’ forum for them to agree on it and map out strategies on how to go about it and getting support from the Federal Government.

During first wave, we spent N10m daily on task force enforcing rules, says C’River

“There is a lot of COVID-9 fatigue right now. Government is fatigued. Individuals are fatigued,  even funding.”

According to him, during the first wave of COVID-9, it cost the state N10m daily to fund a task force that enforced the use of face mask.

“The task force was in the metropolis and border areas. Imagine that you run that process for 30 days, that is N300m. You have to fuel the vehicles, pay the security officers to follow the task force.

“If you calculate all these costs, you will see that it is a lot more difficult to enforce. At this point, it is necessary for the Federal Government to sit with the state governments and discuss their challenges and ways they can be assisted.

“The Federal Government and the states should commit funding into the enforcement and let them work hand in hand and implementation will be good and smooth. But we need that level of collaboration at this point so that things can happen.”

On its part, the Akwa Ibom State Government said it was the duty of police to ensure enforcement of the protocols.

Ememobong, who stated this, disclosed that the state government had been working with traditional and religious leaders to stop the spread of COVID-19.

He stated, “It’s the duty of the police is to enforce the law. The President has given a directive. In fact, it’s an executive order which is even in the hierarchy of the law, so the executive has acted at the federal level. It is, therefore, the duty of the police to enforce and not the duty of the state government

“As a government, we have set in motion machinery for sensitisation. We are still doing sensitisation; we run jingles and interface with traditional and religious leaders but for enforcement it’s the duty of the security.”

Effecting mass arrest difficult –Enugu commissioner

The  Enugu State Commissioner for Information, Aroh, said effecting mass arrest of people who were not COVID-19 protocols compliant in a market would be difficult.

According to him, arresting people for non-compliance to protocols will not solve any problem.

He stated, “On the directive of His Excellency, the governor, all the government officials have been directed to engage in sensitisation in their communities. The ministry of education is monitoring schools to ensure total compliance to COVID-19 protocols in our schools especially in the areas of non-pharmaceutical measures in the management of COVID-19.

“We have not jettisoned enforcement, but we are combining all the factors. Enforcement alone will not solve the problem. If you carry everybody in Ogbete Main Market to a correctional facility, it will not change anything.

“There wouldn’t be space to accommodate them. So while  security agencies are trying their best to increase the level of compliance, we are more interested in bringing the moral standards; with a reason that we all need to be alive.”

The Niger State Commissioner for Health,  Muhammad Makusidi,  said the nonchalant attitude of residents of the state was one of the obstacles to compliance with the safety rules.

He said, “To ensure compliance, we involved state transport union, market people,  religious and traditional  leaders, and women in the COVID-19 task force  which are to ensure all inclusiveness,  sadly, everybody is showing nonchalant attitudes.”

But  the Chairman, Ekiti State COVID-19 Response Task Force, Prof Bolaji Aluko, said the new COVID-19 protocols, which enjoined the federal security agencies to act, were being enforced in the state.

Aluko said, “As part of the enforcement, people can no longer do any event without permission. Every day now, I sign a minimum of 10 permissions for burials, weddings and other events and in the permissions, the people have to pledge to obey COVID-19 protocols.

“Personal responsibility is necessary. We have to keep trying to make the people do the right things, at the end of the day, these things are in the interest of the people, to prevent them from contracting COVID-19,” the state COVID-19 Response Task Force chairman said.

Also the Edo State COVID-19 Incident Manager, Dr Andrew Obi, disclosed on Monday that the government was working to ensure that residents adhered strictly to the protocols.

Benue State Commissioner for Information, Mrs Ngunan Adingi, said the state government would liaise with the police to ensure compliance with the safety rules.

When told that people were not obeying the rules, she stated,  “If that is the case, we will get in touch with police to see how to enforce the protocols.”

Join our twitter community :

Follow @royaltimesng
0 comment
0
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Taiwo Adediran

previous post
DR Congo announces resurgence of Ebola
next post
Court sentences man, to death by hanging

You may also like

Lagos state government tasks residents on moderation during...

November 23, 2018

Ignore boycott calls, Arsene Wenger begs Arsenal fans

May 15, 2017

Babayaro, Okocha return to Nigeria’s squad

May 6, 2017

Boko Haram attack: Normalcy returns to Gulak

November 7, 2017

Britain faces economic ‘wobble’ after Brexit – Report

July 18, 2017

Information Minister advocates more devolution of power to...

April 6, 2022

Youth protest at N’Assembly over not too young...

July 25, 2017

Plateau gets new Police Commissioner

October 9, 2018

Women in positions of authority charged to use...

April 24, 2017

Government fumes as Twitter deletes Buhari’s civil war...

June 3, 2021
Facebook
  • Meet WiNQY: The Entertainment & Media Professional Here To Make A Mark

    July 27, 2022
  • July 25, 2022
  • Fans celebrate Wizkid as he clocks thirty-two

    July 16, 2022
  • Sound Sultan’s posthumous project “Reality CHQ” drops

    July 11, 2022
  • Wizkid expresses love for Burna Boy, Davido at Afronation concert

    July 4, 2022
  • Women’s Africa Cup of Nations: Super falcons set to meet Morrocco

    July 18, 2022
  • Dembele Ends speculation agrees two years deal with Barcelona

    July 14, 2022
  • Martinez in advanced talks with Manchester United

    July 14, 2022
  • Super Falcons head coach said Top Level Performance needed to Beat Cameroon

    July 14, 2022
  • The Super Falcons arrives Casablanca, Morocco ahead of quarter-final clash against Cameroon

    July 13, 2022
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • News
    • Politics
    • World
  • Opinions
    • Editorial Opinion
    • Advertorial
  • Metro
  • Lifestyle
  • Foreign
  • Sports
  • Editorial Policy

@2017 -Royaltimes of Nigeria. All Right Reserved.

Posting....