Kunle Adelabu
The former Commissioner for information in Lagos State and the Agbaakin of Ikorodu Kingdom, Otunba Ayodele Elesho has charged government at all levels to ensure that stimulus packages meant to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 lockdown on the people get to the intended beneficiaries in more effective and transparent manner.
He also called on the Local Government Councils, which are the closest tier of government to the people, to be prepared to ensure that the well-being of their people are adequately taken of during the ongoing lockdown of state which he described as ‘killing’.
The highly revered community leader made these statements while expressing his position on the restriction and other measures instituted by the government in containing the spread of Coronavirus that has infected 1, 863, 406 people globally with 116, 000 deaths as at the time of filing this report.
Nigeria on the other hand has recorded a total of 343 cases, 10 deaths, 91 discharged patients while the active cases is 242 as at press time.
Lagos State, which is being referred to as the epicenter of the disease in the country, has 189 cases, five deaths while 61 people have been discharged so far.
While expressing his support for the lockdown extension by the President Muhammed Buhari, Otunba Elesho, who was a one-time State Labour leader, also called on the Federal government to ensure that more people, especially vulnerable residents and those in the middle classes, are adequately catered for to cushion the effects of the lockdown.
“The “Stay at Home, Stay Safe” mantra introduced by the Federal and State Governments is quite appropriate at this point in time and the only way out to stop the spread of the dangerous virus.
“When there is life, there is hope, this indicates that we shall celebrate more Easter in happiness, funfair and joy couple with the usual religious activities, if we avoid being infected with COVID-19 and stay at home and safe as directed by the government.
“I fully support the lockdown imposed by the Government, and if in its wisdom, the same government considered it necessary to extend the lockdown, so be it”, he declared.
The Knight of John Wesley appealed to everyone to adhere strictly to the stipulated measures, stating that religious sentiments should be discarded at this trying time.
“All the people all over the World should obey the directives of their respective Governments, they should obey and comply fully with all orders, regulations and policies introduced to curb the coronavirus menace.
“The point we have reached now globally is far beyond issue of religion and religious beliefs, practice and persuasions.
While making case for better packaged and effective palliative measures for the people, Otunba Elesho stated:
“The Local government is the closest to the people at the grassroots level and should be fully prepared, particularly at this killing point in time, to adequately cater well for the wellbeing of the people, in terms of palliative stimulus packages, while the distribution method of the packages should be transparent, ditto to other welfare programmes.
“I want to specially commend the Lagos State Government for its proactive approach to the pandemic. But for Lagos State Government, the pandemic could have by now ravaged the whole country, resulting in mass death of the people across the country.
“I only want to urge and encourage the Lagos State Government to device a more transparent, all-embracing and acceptable methods for the distribution of the palliative stimulus packages so that the categories of people the packages are designed for will joyfully benefit from the process.
“Once again, I commend the State Government, the Governor Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for how far they have gone on curtailing the spread of the dangerous virus”, the former Information Commissioner stated while commending the Governor.
While acknowledging the fragile state of the global economy with that of Nigeria distressing due to lack of economic activities since the lockdown which has adverse economic effects on the people who are already worn out by the devastating effects of the COVID – 19, Otunba Eleso called on the Federal Government to come to the rescue by providing succor for the teeming populace.
“No doubt, the world economy is already in trouble, world trade has been on standstill position in the past two months, International travel, tours and flights are all cancelled.
“I read somewhere that the World Bank said that the economy of Nigeria is almost in distress and cannot escape going further down.
“If that is true, it shows that more Nigerians would go into the poverty level index. Therefore, the Federal Government should device more meaningful methods of reaching out to the people, particularly those with lower or no incomes at all”, he appealed.
“Palliative measures should be designed, arranged and distributed to the said identified group of people, and if possible, should also be extended to the so called middle class people”.
