The Federal Government will evaluate outcomes after two weeks from Monday to determine if it would maintain, reverse or further ease the lockdown in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun State, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said.
In a document by Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 (PTF) titled “Guidelines and Recommendations on Reopening the Nigerian Economy”, NCDC explained how the subnational economies would gradually reopen. “Each phase (of lifting lockdown) is proposed for an initial two-week period with progression on to the next phase subject to review of progress,” the disease control agency said, noting that there would be a two-week evaluation period between phases.
States and the Federal Government would work with NCDC guidelines to determine progression to a subsequent phase. Decisions would be made by evaluating data on active cases and the progress in the key sectors within the state.
Following the two-week period, a decision would be made whether to tighten the lockdown protocol, remain at the current phase or move onto the next phase, NCDC said. This means the period from phase one to phase two could span six weeks.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on April 27 announced that the lockdown in the key states of Lagos, Abuja and Ogun would be eased starting from Monday, May 4 to soften blows to the state economies.
The president also announced a two-week lockdown in Kano and a ban on interstate travels except for moving food, drugs and a few other essentials. Under the first phase, NCDC said activities in select sectors like agricultural sector, public works, air and road transportation would resume subject to an 8pm-6am general curfew while selected offices would open from 9am to 2pm.
Use of facemasks has been mandated as well as social-distancing practices, while individuals below 15 or above 49 are advised to stay indoors. Schools, sport and religious gatherings, hospitality services, concerts and social parties remain banned under phase one. Phase two will see further relaxation on sectors opened in phase one and additional sectors will be allowed to operate as federal or state governments deem fit. Under the phase two, travel restrictions will be reduced and the implementation of the phase would be decided by state governments to fit their unique situations.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor, on Wednesday said business premises and offices, including banks and restaurants, would from Monday open from 9am to 3pm daily but must strictly observe and comply with the COVID-19 protocols, including social distancing, wearing of facemasks, provision for hand washing and sanitiser at entrances to their premises, while customers at restaurants would only be allowed to purchase food for consumption at home.
He mandated that businesses operate with 60 percent of workforce onsite and 40 percent from home, as part of wider measures to curb the spread of the virus in Lagos which accounts for more than half of the disease cases reported in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, buses operated by the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme in Lagos will from Monday commence operations with 21 as against 70 passengers, in line with the Lagos State government’s directive to commercial transport operators to reduce their carriage capacity to 60 percent.
Abimbola Akinajo, managing director, Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), the regulator of the BRT scheme, at a meeting with its transport franchisees, Thursday, also said that standing would be suspended and air-conditioning system would not be used.
Akinajo, at the meeting attended by Fola Tinubu, managing director, Primero Transport Services Limited, operator of the Ikorodu-TBS Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, and Idowu Oguntona, managing director, Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL), one of the operators of the Lagos Bus Reform Initiative, said operators must ensure that passengers wear facemasks at all times.
They are also to make provision for alcohol-based sanitiser or handwashing with soap under running water before and after each trip. She said operators are expected to disinfect their vehicles and depots regularly under the supervision of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources in order to ensure standards and safety of the disinfectant being used.
“Bus terminals and bus stops must not be overcrowded with passengers and commercial activities at any point in time. Social distancing is required for passengers queuing to board buses. NCDC recommends that at least 2-metre distance is required between people,” said Akinajo.
While the ease of the lockdown has brought relief to some on economic concerns, many fear the disease might spread faster because of sharp rise in cases reported despite the lockdown that has lasted over a month.
