COVID-19: Kaduna to review lockdown order

Kaduna State Government is fashioning out a framework to allow businesses that offer essential services to operate within the stay-at-home period and within limits. The Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, who made this known in a state broadcast, said that the decision was taken  ‘’to avoid shortages in food  supply, beverages and pharmaceuticals to residents.’’ […]

Kaduna State Government is fashioning out a framework to allow businesses that offer essential services to operate within the stay-at-home period and within limits.

The Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, who made this known in a state broadcast, said that the decision was taken  ‘’to avoid shortages in food  supply, beverages and pharmaceuticals to residents.’’

Dr Balarbe  argued that  these businesses will be allowed to operate because they ‘’are central to the lives, health, well-being and survival of our people but they will require special permits to operate.’’

The Deputy Governor further said that ‘’businesses that fall within this category are expected to apply to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Technology which will grant such permits after due diligence.’’

Dr Balarabe however reiterated  that Government will not compromise the COVID-19 Protocol on mass gathering and social distancing even when such permits are granted, warning that ‘’in the event of default, a business can lose such privilege.’’

According to her, the Government has been  responding to people’s concerns and in keeping with the administration’s  ‘’people first mantra,’’ it has been reviewing  the Lockdown Order  regularly.

Dr Balarabe listed  the  opening of the two-day window in order to allow citizens to re-stock food items,  exempting trucks conveying food stuffs from the restriction of movement and the distribution of palliatives to households as part  of the review.

The Deputy Governor revealed that  the State Executive Council met and also approved a Governance Continuation Plan.

‘’Under the plan, all the five Policy Councils will resume their weekly meetings, while the State Exco will continue to meet monthly, all meetings will be held  virtually,’’ she added.

‘’Similarly, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies have been mandated to also develop their governance continuation plans, enabling their activities to continue remotely,’’ she also said.

Dr Balarabe further said that ‘’all memoranda for consideration would be submitted electronically and approvals will be given in like manner.’’

‘’Although these initiatives have become the new normal which coronavirus has brought upon us, they are nonetheless in line with our administration’s policy of e-governance, which emphasizes the digitalization of Government processes,’’ she argued.