Declaring Lockdown Without Palliatives Is Wickedness Against Nigerians By Government –SPN

 

The Socialist Party of Nigeria, Federal Capital Territory Chapter, has described the lockdown order put in place by government without adequate palliatives to cushion the effects of the move as wickedness against poor Nigerians whose means of livelihood had been severely threatened.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on April 13 extended the lockdown of the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states by additional 14 days to further contain the spread of Coronavirus in the country.

In a statement by its Chairman, Dimeji Macaulay, and Secretary, Akande Daniel, the SPN said the move by government was against the interest of the masses without any type of welfare package in place.

The statement reads, “In all of this period of the pandemic, the Nigerian Government has failed in the containment of the virus. In the first place, they are responsible for COVID-19 in Nigeria. 

“The President claimed to have announced palliatives such as food distribution, cash transfers and loan repayment waivers in the last two weeks but these aren’t enough and available anywhere for ordinary people to see.

“Our question in SPN is that which palliative has been visible in the last two weeks?

“The SPN rejects the attempt to criminalise peaceful movement of people because security agents will be given free access to repress people during this period.

“We reject deployment of soldiers to roads, we aren’t in war period, therefore soldiers should not be deployed during this lockdown.

“Nigerians in the last two weeks have been subjected to serious pains and agony with no food, no constant power supply, no water, and continuous police exploitation, human degradation and harassment. This must stop immediately.”

The SPN however, hailed the reviewed and improved daily hazard allowances to be paid to health workers battling the pandemic in the country.