• Thursday, April 18, 2024
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BusinessDay

Coronavirus: FG to release 70000 metric tones of grains to the poor

Boss Mustapha

Federal government on Wednesday approved 70,000 metric tones of grains from the nation’s strategic grains reserve for immediate distribution to the poor in the country.

The Presidential Task Force on the Coronavirus pandemic, headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF , Boss Mustapha, announced this on Wednesday during its regular daily briefings.

Mustapha said 6000 metric tones will be distributed to Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory where the current lockdown is being implemented.

He disclosed that the team had received situation reports from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Inter-State traffic across the Country as at Tuesday, 31st March, 2020.

“Indications are that there was a reasonable level of compliance with the Presidential directive which has led to great reduction of traffic on major highways.

Read also: Coronavirus: Lagos postpones public service promotion examinations

“We have however received reports of challenges arising from the enforcement of the Presidential directives by security agents generally and in States where Governors have also imposed their own measures.

He assured that the team will encourage dialogue to remove the bottlenecks, even as “PTF has developed an Implementation Guide and Protocols for the COVID-19 Lockdown Policy

“This document will be widely circulated to all security agencies and will be discussed with sub-national entities for the purpose of building synergy in the fight against the virus.”

Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, who updated the nation of the latest infection statistics, said 70% are males, while 30% are females

He announced that the government had directed ports health services officials to be deployed to land borders to boost screening at the borders.

According to him, “So far, over 2 000 persons have been tested , while test sites have been increased to 7 , even as he urged qualified Laboratory technologists to volunteer their services

Details soon…