Some stakeholders believe that the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in Lagos state may be partly due to the non-enforcement of safety guidelines by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration. TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI reports:

The decision on Tuesday by Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu, suspending the reopening of worship centres in Lagos State, earlier planned to begin from June 19, until further notice did not come to many Lagosians as a surprise. This is because there has been a spike in the cases in the state since the commencement of the partial lockdown announced by the federal government.

With Lagos as the epicentre of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria, the governor hinged the decision on the rising cases of COVID-19 in the state. The state currently has 7,319 confirmed cases, 6,100 patients on admission, 1,137 discharged while 82 persons have died.

According to the governor, “I want to inform you that we will not be proceeding with the reopening of places of worship has been said earlier for the 19th and the 21st. We will be suspending it until further notice.

“We’ve critically had to have a thorough, thorough review of where we are as a state and our condition. Our review indicates that we needed to suspend that attempt of reopening.”

While hailing the governor for taking the bold step and efforts he has put in so far towards the fight, some public affairs analysts have, however blamed him for the failure of the state government to enforce safety measures put in place to curb the spread of the disease such as use of facemasks, social distancing in public places such as banks and public transport and the ban placed on activities of commercial motorcycles operators, popularly known as Okada in the state.

Analysts believed that some of the directives of the governor are being flouted while those who are to enforce it are turning the blind eye.

Speaking with our correspondent, Ken Emelifonwu, a lawyer and public affairs analyst said though Governor Sanwo-Olu has done well in the management of the pandemic in the state so far, as the Chief Security Officer of Lagos, he has failed in the area of enforcement of the safety measures put in place which may have triggered the spread of the virus in the state.

According to him, “Shortly before the partial lockdown began, the governor had said and I quote him “Commercial motorcycles, popularly known as okadas, are to suspend their operations statewide, except for those motorcycles used for courier and logistics purposes. Tricycles (Keke) operating in unrestricted areas, must not carry more than two passengers per trip and must ensure appropriate social distancing is maintained between passengers. “All commuters are mandated to wear face masks at all times, sanitise with alcohol-based sanitizer or wash their hands with soap under running water before and after every trip.”

“ The governor even announced a number that whistleblowers can call to report anyone who opens salons, gyms and event centres without authorization. As someone who lives and works in Lagos everyday, I can tell you that none of these directives are being complied with. The governor meant well but in the area of enforcement, I think his bark is worse than his bite”.

Ayodele Dada, a cleric with one of the Pentecostal churches, on his part, also said he is unfazed by the latest development having raised an alarm that a total lockdown may be imposed in Lagos state owing to the way safety guidelines are being flouted.

“When I heard the announcement by the governor suspending indefinitely the re-opening of religious centres, I wasn’t surprised at all because the way many residents of Lagos are taking the safety measures with levity without any action from the state government to enforce it”.

“Many people will tell you that the only language the average Lagosian understands is use of iron hands or force. If you see 10 people on the road, only one or two will be wearing facemasks. Go to the banks today and you see long queues with people clustered together. Most of these commercial buses are ignoring the safety guidelines on the numbers of passengers to carry just because they want to make quick gains. In all these, you keep wondering, where are the police, task force or other government security outfits?”

“I believe the enforcement should begin at the grassroots. The governor can’t be everywhere but he can direct the enforcement to begin from the 57 local councils in the state. By the time you sanction 10 to 20 people for violating the safety guidelines, others will sit up. He should also call the Commissioner of Police in the state to order to be alive to his responsibilities or be replaced”.

In his remark, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) who said he is in total support of the decision to suspend the reopening of religious centres in Lagos, lamented that the state government has demonstrated gross incapacity in enforcing the rules it made as regards the containment of the spread of the virus.

“That is the problem I have with Lagos state government in handling of this COVID-19 pandemic. The government has done very well in terms of the measures put in place but it has one major flaw and that is non-enforcement. That to me, is the only problem with the Lagos state government. No effort is being made to enforce it. People go about their businesses without facemasks or allow it to hang on their chins. There are large gatherings of people and yet there is no symbolic attempt to arrest so as to serve as a deterrent to others”.

“I have complained to the Lagos state government everyday about this but no action has been taken? Take for example, the Eko Bridge. Going back to the Island on Eko Bridge everyday, I see motorcycles which are banned in the state in their droves, carrying passengers with both the riders and passengers not wearing facemasks. They also violate the physical distancing directives as you see the passenger holding onto the rider. On many occasions, I see them driving against traffic. That has become so common that even now, private cars have now joined the motorcycles”.

“I have complained severally to the relevant authorities in Lagos state but nothing has been done about this. So, I support the decision of Lagos state government to postpone the reopening of religious centres. Having demonstrated the inability to enforce the directives that they have given in all other areas, how are we confident that they are going to enforce all the conditions they gave for reopening of the millions of religious centres we have in the state?”

“I think they should seize this opportunity to prepare vigorously for how to enforce because I believe that you cannot make a law that you cannot enforce. If you make a law, think about your capacity to enforce it. The ones you cannot enforce, don’t make it and Lagos state lacks the capacity of enforcement right now”.

However, when contacted, Bala Elkanah, Police Public Relations officer (PPRO), Lagos State said it is time for everyone to take responsibility in the fight against the virus rather than apportioning blames.

According to him, while the police has done a lot in enforcing the safety guidelines through arrest of defaulters, that is has proven not to be a solution to the problem.

“This is not an era to apportion blame to anybody. The fight against COVID-19 is everybody’s responsibility. We are all at war with the virus. It is not a fight that people shift to the police and expect the police to do the role of every individual. No police officer is immune to this virus, we are all vulnerable like any other citizen of Nigeria. All the messages have been sent out by relevant agencies in Nigeria, giving guidelines to every individual to take personal responsibility.

“ If we are going to arrest, how many people are we going to arrest? We don’t even have the facility to keep them. We are also talking about decongesting our facilities because we must protect ourselves too. This is individual’s responsibility, not police alone”.

“It is everybody’s duty to maintain social distancing, wear facemasks. We have been making arrests. Throughout the lockdown period, we impounded over 3,000 vehicles for violation. Also, over 4,000 persons were arrested. But is arresting defaulters the only solution? We want to curtail the spread of this virus but we believe arresting people and bringing them together is a big risk on its own. So, you can see the great dilemma that we all find ourselves in. For us to win this battle, everybody must be responsible. That is the simple truth” he said.

https://www.independent.ng/covid-19-enforcement-how-has-sanwo-olu-fared/

Every death is now Coronavirus..nobody dies from typhoid, cancer and other ailments again

The governor promised to distribute 1 million free facemasks. Was that promise fulfilled?

How much is face mask that you are expecting free from govt?

bolaayenimo:
The governor promised to distribute 1 million free facemasks. Was that promise fulfilled?

No be dem promise am for free?

nairavsdollars:
How much is face mask that you are expecting free from govt?