Open Letter To Buhari: Steps To Be Taken To Cushion The Effect Of Covid-19 Pandemic

Due to the Covid19 pandemic and its ravaging spread like wildfire across the country, the various governments at state and federal levels have taken measures to put an end to the devastating effect, should in-case the figures soar in a geometric progression, while recovery and health cure stands at an arithmetic growth rate.

Nigerians over the following past months have resulted in disobeying the lock-down rules and orders, protests against the lock-down and massive looting and robberies across the country. Should Nigeria provide incentives and palliatives to aid the suffering of the people? YES. Can we afford it? NO. WHY? Because as a country with a single sole source of revenue coming majorly from oil exploration and exportation can’t currently afford such due to the decline in the prices of oil at the global oil prices, a fall that saw even the unique Brent crude crashing.

In this open letter to the president, I suggest he does the following to see the following positive effects on the general economy:

Distribution of facial masks and hand gloves to be produced and locally sourced thereby increasing earnings and creating a source of livelihood for the teaming populace

• Upliftment of the total ban of movement from 24 hours in day and limit it to just 4 hours a day
• Enact rules that enforce the mandatory use of the facial masks and hand gloves in public outings
• Create a general rapid mobile court, and sentencing unit for those found guilty of violating the Covid-19 rules.
• Create a special task force team that ensures the social distancing rules are strictly adhered to in public places, thereby creating more job opportunities for the teaming unemployed among the general populace
• Distribution of free hand-sanitizers to be locally sourced and produced by the local populace
• Make available washing and disinfection apparatus at public places in strategic locations like airports, ports and government houses.
• Set up a special committee to look into the total overhaul and rehabilitation of the healthcare system and its practices to meetup with international standards and guidelines by at-most 2022
• Set up another special committee to look into the post economy recovery and diversification to house and accommodate extra sources of revenue generations for the country.Agriculture, technology and logistics should be the core areas of research to further cushion the adverse effects of the lock-down.
• Direct anti-corruption bodies and organizations to probe cases of fraud as regards the disbursement of funds meant to aid and relieve the suffering of Nigerians during the global pandemic crisis, lock-down and stay home period.