Jare Babatunde
The body of Chairmen in Local Governments (LGs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State, also called ‘Conference 57’, has pleaded with Lagosians to cooperate and comply totally with the directives of the State Government, especially as it concerns the necessary precautionary measures issued towards the containment of the spread of CONVID – 19.
The 14-day lockdown directive issued by the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government clocked a week on Tuesday (yesterday ) and the government is said to be considering an extension of the directive while also stating that this week would be very critical.
Aside the stay-at-home order, government has also directed residents to wash their hands with soap and water regularly, apply sanitizer, keep personal hygiene and observe social distancing among other precautionary measures.
However, the clarion call issued by the Council Chairmen may be connected with the breach of the government’s lockdown order by the residents in the State, especially in the last three days.
In Ikorodu Division, the compliance level has dwindled in the last couple of days with people disobediently going about their businesses in different parts of Ikorodu LG, Ikorodu West, Igbogbo/Bayeku and Ikorodu North LCDAs where our reporter has been covering since the beginning of the lockdown.
A statement, issued on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, signed by the Public Relations Officer of Conference 57 who is also the Chairman of the Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Builder Sesan Daini, and titled, ‘Second Week of lockdown critical to our survival as residents’, reads thus :
“Given the current global health crisis (COVID-19) that has stretched its harmful hand to our Country Nigeria and State, and in view of the 14 days lockdown of movement and activities in the State to contain the spread of the deadly virus, Conference 57, which is the umbrella body for all Chairmen of 57 Local Governments and LCDAs in Lagos State, do hereby, among other matters, wish to bring to the public knowledge as follows:
“The second week of the lockdown is a critical period when all residents infected with the virus are expected to have started experiencing clear signs and manifestations of the COVID-19 illness beyond the initial symptoms that we all know.
“At this point, we call on residents to fully cooperate with the government in eradicating the Coronavirus disease by obeying the stay-at-home order so as to enable government identify all cases and isolate them for proper treatments.
“We call on residents to see the fight against the virus as a matter of life and death, believing strongly that the only way to defeat the pandemic is when we fight collectively and resolutely.
“Residents should cooperate and help the government by reporting suspected and/or identified cases in their respective neighbourhoods through the designated contact numbers approved by the State Ministry of Health.
“Knowing well that Lagos State contains almost one tenth of the entire population of the country with over 20 million residents. Hence, the defeat of Coronavirus in Lagos is a major victory to the nation at this point in time and beyond.
“There is hope for recovery as evidently seen in the cases of people discharged after full recovery from the sickness. Therefore, residents should avoid panic mode but instead abide by the government’s restriction order which is the only way to win.
“We commend Lagos State Government, under the leadership of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for its swift response and proactive measures put in place so far in containing the dreaded virus in the State.
“Finally, we call on the Federal Government to take lessons from the present situation to speed up approval of much agitated Special Status for Lagos State beyond political reasoning to enable the State deal with issues bordering on population and social pressures from time to time”.
