Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
A legal luminary, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), has urged governments at all levels and all Nigerians to brace up for post-COVID-19 challenges.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his media aide, Prince Olumuyiwa Akinbiyi, and made unavailable to journalists in Ibadan, he urged all and sundry to do more in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic with a view to curtailing its spread in the country and also work out modalities that would minimize the effect of the global crisis on the overall economy of the nation at the end of it all.
According to him, Nigeria, like most sovereign nations across the globe, is currently facing the stark reality of the COVID-19 pandemic with a skyrocketing record of new cases and fatalities on a daily basis just as the federal government and most states of the federation are struggling to cope with the attendant socio-economic and political challenges.
He noted that he was aware of ongoing painstaking efforts by the global community to produce cure and vaccines for the virus “but while we are trusting God for the timely realization of this particular goal, Nigeria and Nigerians must brace up for the challenges ahead especially in terms of getting our economy back on the right track during and after this pandemic era.
“Nigeria, no doubt, is a monolithic economy as our foreign exchange earnings largely come from crude oil export. Now that the amount which a barrel of oil sells in the global market is not up to the cost of production and transportation on the sea, we are in for big trouble. This manifested last week when money available as allocations to all tiers of government was only a quarter of what was expected to be shared for the month of March. The implication is that we gradually approaching an era of zero allocation.
“While we urging the federal government and state governors to be proactive in tackling the looming socio-economic danger, it is essential that the current war against COVID-19 is intensified by all stakeholders in view of the fact that the rate at which new cases are being recorded is unacceptable. Furthermore, Nigerians should prioritize strict adherence to the global standard of combating Coronavirus as this concerns social distancing, frequent handwashing with soap, use of hand sanitizers among others.”
Akintola, however, called on Muslim faithful in the state to use the opportunity of the ongoing Ramadan fast to rededicate themselves to the cause of God and humanity, saying: “”Ramadan came at a very critical time of a global pandemic this year and as Muslim faithful observe their fasts without an opportunity to observe certain usual activities, which are associated with the sacred month, it is imperative for all us to engage in sober reflection.
“We should also use the occasion to pray fervently for divine intervention as the whole world needs God (Allah) to save humanity from this pandemic and all other challenges facing us as human beings.”