The thirty-six state governors have agreed to implement inter-state lockdown for a period of two weeks as part of efforts to halt the rising spread of COVID-19 in the country.
Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, disclosed this in a communiqué he issued after the 6th COVID-19 teleconference of the governors on Wednesday.
Fayemi said the decision on Inter-state travels was taken after the governors of Lagos, Bauchi, Oyo, and Ogun states briefed the NGF on their experiences to curb COVID-19.
Recall that the National Coordinator of the PTF, Sani Aliyu, had on Monday raised the alarm that inter-state movements were aiding the spread of the virus. He said people were being moved in trucks from Lagos to other parts of the country.
In the Communiqué, Gov. Fayemi said the governors expressed serious concerns over the rising spread of the coronavirus among health workers.
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However, he said the NGF has resolved to work with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to ensure that health workers were adequately provided with personal protective equipment.
According to him, the governors also resolved to set up COVID-19 committees at the regional level, headed by their state commissioners of health who would continue to interface with the task force on COVID-19 already established in each state.
The Communiqué stated, “The NGF chairman briefed the forum on the rapidly evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and coordination efforts with the Federal Government, multilateral and bilateral partners, and the private sector through the coalition against COVID-19.
“With over 25 states now affected by the spread of the virus and increasing evidence of community transmission, state governors called for the decentralisation of the COVID-19 response as the best chance of nipping the spread of the virus in communities.
“The forum also received briefing from the governors of Lagos, Bauchi, Oyo and Ogun states who shared their experiences and lessons from the fight against COVID-19. Governors unanimously agreed on the implementation of an inter-state lockdown in the country over the next two weeks to mitigate the spread of the virus from state to state. Only essential services will be permitted.”
