The partial lockdown of business premises and economic activities in Nasarawa State is beginning to affect the people and government of the state, less than one week into the restrictions to curb the spread of the pandemic.
Nasarawa State which has no record of any confirmed case of Coronavirus, in spite of its proximity to the neighbouring affected states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, considered it expedient to put in place measures as part of government responsibility to halt the spread.
Of note is concern, anxiety and outcry of the people who are calling on both the Federal and State Governments to provide them with palliatives to cushion their plight during the 14-day period of “stay at home” directives.
The rising situation of hunger is gradually growing to a state where the people cannot bear it, as most of them did not foresee this coming, to adequately prepare for the lockdown.
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The state government, Governor Abdullahi Sule has also raised the alarm over the economic challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID19 which has begun to be felt and is affecting the payment of salaries in the state.
Governor Sule has said that, from this month, April, his government will cut the cost of governance by 60 per cent to enable the state to attend to the emerging economic challenge, and therefore appealed to workers, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the state to understand the realities on the ground the government is faced with.
“After careful study by the budget sub-committee on COVID-19, the government has resolved to cut down the cost of governance by 60 per cent, with effect from April 2020,” the Governor said.
With this development, Local government workers are to be affected by the cut in salary to about 75 per cent amidst protest by the workers and organized labour union.
While some of the people viewed the partial lockdown as an opportunity to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, others are of the opinion that the directives by the state government were deliberately targeting the poor masses to subject them to sufferings and penury.
In all these, one issue that posed a major challenge to the people within the period under review is that those who depend on their small businesses for income to survive or go out every day to hustle for their daily bread are beginning to cry out of hunger and starvation, as most of the things in stock are been exhausted.
Nasarawa Governor, Abdullahi Sule had announced 10-points measures, which included, but not limited to a total shut down of markets, worship centres, recreational places, ban on public gatherings, as well as restriction of movement from 8 pm to 6 am among others.
A check round some major Urban centres in the state revealed that the people of the state are not in total compliance with the social distancing measures, despite the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the FCT, Abuja and other affected neighbouring states.
Since the proclamation of government directives, nearly everything came to a halt: social, religious and economic activities stood still, even as the government is contemplating extending the stay at home directive if the situation at the federal capital territory, Abuja worsens.
Business Day spoke with some residents of the state, who expressed worries over the impact of the lockdown on their businesses and means of livelihood.
A businessman in Lafia, Andy Ugwu who deals in Agrochemicals said the federal government and state government’s action towards containing the disease was commendable, however, the government did not provide the essential needs of citizens to enable them to stay at home.
“Other countries where there is this outbreak of COVID-19 such as China and USA, the governments of these countries are providing preventive kits such hand sanitisers, face mask as well as food items but in Nigeria the case is different. It is not proper to shut down people’s businesses to complete two weeks without giving them anything,” he said.
