• About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Monday, August 15, 2022
Daily Concord News
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Africa
    • local
    • Nigeria
    • Science
    • World
    Opposition Behind Call For My Resignation – Festus Keyamo

    Opposition Behind Call For My Resignation – Festus Keyamo

    Air Marshal Sadique Has No Links With Thugs, Allegations Are Delusional — YAFODE

    Air Marshal Sadique Has No Links With Thugs, Allegations Are Delusional — YAFODE

    FIRS Powers To Recover Taxes Unremitted From States, LGAs Are In Order — Group

    Osun 2022: Bankole Urges INEC To Guarantee Inclusion Of PWDs On Election Day

    Osun 2022: Bankole Urges INEC To Guarantee Inclusion Of PWDs On Election Day

    Why Peter Obi Is The Most Fact-Checked Politician

    Why Peter Obi Is The Most Fact-Checked Politician

    Ekiti Election

    EKITI ELECTION: Another Buhari Legacy On Credible Polls – BMO

    Trending Tags

    • Politics
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Entertainment
      • All
      • Gaming

      Timipre Sylva Inaugurates the National Gas Expansion Programme, Committee

    • Tech
      • All
      • Startup

      DG NITDA Urges Computer Sciences Students to Drive ICT Innovation

      How To Apply For Bridge To MassChallenge Nigeria 2021

      How To Apply For Bridge To MassChallenge Nigeria 2021

      DG NITDA Urges Young Lawyers To Use Artificial Intelligence In Legal Services

      DG NITDA Urges Young Lawyers To Use Artificial Intelligence In Legal Services

      Digital Economy: NITDA Assures e-Business Industry Heads Of Public Private Partnership

      Digital Economy: NITDA Assures e-Business Industry Heads Of Public Private Partnership

      Digital Nigeria 2021

      Call For Abstracts: Digital Nigeria 2021

      5G Network Crucial To 4th Industrial Revolution – DG NITDA

      Literacy Day: FG To Train 6000 Nigerians On Digital Skills In 11 States

      Trending Tags

    • Lifestyle
      • All
      • Culture
      • Food
      • Health
      At Avalanche Book Launch, Nigerians Call For More Resources On Mental Health And Trauma Management

      At Avalanche Book Launch, Nigerians Call For More Resources On Mental Health And Trauma Management

      Femi Odekunle; The Pains That Won’t Go! By Haruspice

      Femi Odekunle; The Pains That Won’t Go! By Haruspice

      The Unifying Factor of Culture

      Examining Arts as a Unifying Elements

      The Unifying Factor of Culture

      The Unifying Factor of Culture

      Senate President Greets Asiwaju Bola Tinubu @69

      Senate President Greets Asiwaju Bola Tinubu @69

      Abuja Global Shapers Hub Pay A Velentine Day Visit To Kubwa General Hospital

      GIVE A GIFT – The Abuja Global Shapers Valentine’s Edition

      Trending Tags

    • Opinion
    No Result
    View All Result
    Daily Concord News
    No Result
    View All Result
    Home Opinion

    What Has Nigeria’s Vice President Been Up to Since the Wake of COVID-19 Pandemic?

    April 30, 2020
    in Opinion, Politics
    3 min read
    0
    22
    SHARES
    29
    VIEWS
    Share on WhatsAppShare Share

    According to the Imperial College London, COVID-19 widely known as coronavirus is capable of claiming up to 40 million lives worldwide. If desperate and functional interventions aren’t applied, this could be the world’s biggest humanitarian disaster since World War II. Africa has reported over 18,000 cases, 950 deaths and a sizeable number of recoveries. Nigeria has a fair share of those numbers, as testing capacity increases and efforts on contact tracing soars, over 442 cases have been confirmed in 19 states. 44 people have recovered and the death toll stands at 152.

    Over the next few weeks, it is expected that we may witness a surge in the number of cases reported as more testing is carried out. How the curves ultimately play out depends largely on the extent to which preventive measures are put in place, kept in place and followed by the public. The Federal Government of Nigeria has teamed up with state governments, health agencies and private stakeholders to mobilise tens of thousands of health workers, establish new testing and isolation centres, deepened essential health equipment inventories, shutdowns in hotspots, seeking advice and resources of sophisticated technology and unveiling billions in financial aid and economic stimulus packages.

    In the last few weeks, I’ve read several opinions evaluating the ‘activeness’ of the President and his deputy in battling coronavirus. The one that struck me most was an allegation that Professor Yemi Osinbajo has been ‘missing’ in the response efforts. This was enough reason to reflect on how illy-informed most of us are about this outbreak and our varying expectations from leaders across the globe. We must first bear in my mind that we’re all humans; regardless of status, class or age, and that the disease is a respecter of nobody. So, let us lend our empathy in how we decipher issues related to human response, especially in the case of a man who has had to self-isolate himself for weeks after being in contact with infected persons whilst still going about his duties as the Vice President. Government officials are also testing positive for and even in some cases dying of COVID-19.

    Professor Osinbajo from the early stages of the outbreak inaugurated the Economic Sustainability Committee which is saddled with the responsibility of developing frameworks  and policies for Nigerians, and also address the overarching effects of our current realities going forward. The National Economic Council which he chairs also set up a special committee that has been working tirelessly to develop additional measures to relieve the challenges currently faced by all Nigerians. They have been sitting regularly for virtual conferences and if the need arises, in-person meetings. He also reports directly to the President on reports and recommendations being adopted to save the country from the ghastly effects of coronavirus. Osinbajo has consistently emphasized the importance of the assignment before them and the urgency required. He asked that public enlightenment and sensitization on the seriousness of the pandemic should be further intensified at all government levels so that more and more Nigerians would become aware of the compelling and critical dimensions of the situation. The Vice President was the first government official to adopt a digitized approach for meetings in the country and that’s undoubtedly commendable.

    Rather that needless press briefings that could potentially spark confusion and breed misinformation, both of which tend to exacerbate crises, we should encourage the government to intensify efforts in equipping healthcare workers at the frontline of this dilemma and also focus on strategies to keep the economy afloat and provide sustainable livelihood for its citizens, as they are already doing. This isn’t Trump’s America where White House press ratings are used to secure votes for upcoming general elections, neither is it a showbiz affair for lead characters to score actionable points and public appraisal. Great leadership isn’t dependent on who takes the centre stage in the middle of a storm.

    Coronavirus is a deadly disease and the appropriate agencies, including the Ministry of Health at federal and state levels, the Ministry of Finance, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, state governors and other important stakeholders including the Presidency have stepped up their game and come together to form a strong and effective response. It is important that we are not distracted by excessively complicated and whitewashed administrative procedures. In times like this, healthcare workers are essentially the main response pillars that we have.

    The Federal Government has commenced the disbursement of N20,000 Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) of four months to vulnerable households reaching 3.6 million Nigerian households and is also catering for daily wage earners and youths affected by the stay-at-home order by providing relief food interventions in communities affected by the order. More palliatives for small and medium scale businesses are being rolled out and food security during a period such as this has been one of the main focus of the Presidency. We still need to push the governments, both at state and federal level to do more and reach all levels of citizenry, and criticise if the need arises but we should also do so constructively and with the right facts.

    Richard Ogundiya is a researcher and journalist based in Lagos, Nigeria.

    Tags: coronavirusCovid19Osinbajo
    SendShare9Tweet6Share2Send
    Previous Post

    SOCIAL DISTANCING: Why The Nigerian Government is Right About Shutdowns

    Next Post

    President Buhari Extend Tenure of NDDC Interim Management Committee

    Next Post

    President Buhari Extend Tenure of NDDC Interim Management Committee

    Stay Connected test

    • 517 Fans
    • 13 Followers
    • Trending
    • Comments
    • Latest

    How Atiku’s Lawyer’s Travelled To Cambridge To Confirm Buhari’s Certificate – And The Disappointment That Followed

    September 6, 2019

    Vanguard Apologizes To Professor Osinbajo Over Fake News, Retracts Story

    September 25, 2019

    I Will Waive my Constitutional Immunity to Clear my Name – Osinbajo

    September 25, 2019

    N90bn scandal: Stop Threatening Media Houses, Sue me, Frank tells Osinbajo

    September 25, 2019
    Opposition Behind Call For My Resignation – Festus Keyamo

    Opposition Behind Call For My Resignation – Festus Keyamo

    0
    Nigeria

    Lest We Forget: Security Issues in Nigeria from 1999 to Date!

    0
    Ministerial list: Nigerians react to Buhari’s nomination of Akpabio, Keyamo, Saraki, others

    Ministerial list: Nigerians react to Buhari’s nomination of Akpabio, Keyamo, Saraki, others

    0
    Channels TV Reporter Precious Owolabi Shot During Shiite, Police Clash Is Dead

    Channels TV Reporter Precious Owolabi Shot During Shiite, Police Clash Is Dead

    0
    Opposition Behind Call For My Resignation – Festus Keyamo

    Opposition Behind Call For My Resignation – Festus Keyamo

    August 15, 2022
    Air Marshal Sadique Has No Links With Thugs, Allegations Are Delusional — YAFODE

    Air Marshal Sadique Has No Links With Thugs, Allegations Are Delusional — YAFODE

    August 9, 2022

    Post-VAIDS: JTB, FIRS Commences Full Scale Enforcement On Defaulters

    July 12, 2022
    Nami Charges Professional Tax Bodies On Contribution To Tax Development In Nigeria

    Nami Charges Professional Tax Bodies On Contribution To Tax Development In Nigeria

    July 7, 2022

    Recent News

    Opposition Behind Call For My Resignation – Festus Keyamo

    Opposition Behind Call For My Resignation – Festus Keyamo

    August 15, 2022
    16
    Air Marshal Sadique Has No Links With Thugs, Allegations Are Delusional — YAFODE

    Air Marshal Sadique Has No Links With Thugs, Allegations Are Delusional — YAFODE

    August 9, 2022
    16

    Post-VAIDS: JTB, FIRS Commences Full Scale Enforcement On Defaulters

    July 12, 2022
    17
    Nami Charges Professional Tax Bodies On Contribution To Tax Development In Nigeria

    Nami Charges Professional Tax Bodies On Contribution To Tax Development In Nigeria

    July 7, 2022
    16
    Daily Concord News

    Bringing the most intriguing News from around the world you everyone in a positive way

    Follow Us

    Browse by Category

    • Africa
    • Basketball
    • Business
    • Culture
    • Economy
    • Education
    • Food
    • Football
    • Foreign Affairs
    • Gaming
    • Health
    • Health
    • Interviews
    • Lifestyle
    • local
    • News
    • Nigeria
    • Opinion
    • Politics
    • Science
    • Security
    • Sports
    • Startup
    • Tech
    • Uncategorized
    • World

    Recent News

    Opposition Behind Call For My Resignation – Festus Keyamo

    Opposition Behind Call For My Resignation – Festus Keyamo

    August 15, 2022
    Air Marshal Sadique Has No Links With Thugs, Allegations Are Delusional — YAFODE

    Air Marshal Sadique Has No Links With Thugs, Allegations Are Delusional — YAFODE

    August 9, 2022
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Privacy & Policy
    • Contact

    © 2019

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Entertainment
    • Tech
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinion

    © 2019

    Go to mobile version