“My family will die of hunger if I adhere to this lockdown.”
The dinner we had on Tuesday night was the last meal from the money I made on Monday. The lockdown met me at a very wrong time because I have no dime home and abroad. My wife has been very ill for the past one year and I have been the only breadwinner of my family. I don’t understand Nigeria government; you mandate people to stay home in the name of a supposed deadly virus without provision for poor and vulnerable citizens.
Dike is just one of many millions of Nigerians who are not finding life easy with the lockdown which has become order of the day in most states. Mrs. Kachi Obinna was found on her way back home from a relief materials centre funded by the Chief Executive Officer of ‘Seed of Messiah College’ on Alhaji Ganiu Street, Ilamoshe, Okeafa, Lagos. She had about five kilogrammes of garri and a tuber of yam.
“Why would we keep it? As I am talking to you now, we have not seen anything, neither foodstuff nor money has reached us and I don’t know why they are insisting that they are here to collect food. Look around for yourself. Can you see anything resembling food here?” he asked. A resident in Mushin area of the state, who identified himself as Mr. Adedeji, said: “Government wants us to stay at home for the next 14 days without any proper arrangements as if we are robots. They claim to have released funds to take care of us but we haven’t gotten anything. This is a very delicate time for most families.
In Imo State, even though there is no confirmed case of COVID-19 yet, Governor Hope Uzodinma ordered a lockdown of the state, which commenced last Monday. All the markets, shops and motor parks have been closed. Civil and public servants were told to stop work and stay at home. Movements were also stopped while all the residents except those in essential services were exempted. All borders were also closed. Security operatives are enforcing the order.
“What Edo has currently is partial lockdown. Edo State is bordered by several states. If Anambra and Delta states put a lockdown on their borders, they have also blocked Edo State border. In Abia State where a two-week lockdown has been imposed by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu even though there was no confirmed case of COVID-19 in the state as at Thursday night, the government has set up a ‘Food Security Team with the mandate to source foodstuffs and work out the modalities to distribute them to people that would critically require them within the period.
Following the confirmation of five cases of coronavirus in Akwa Ibom State, Governor Udom Emmanuel has also announced cessation of movements and prohibition of all events for 14 days in the state. So far, residents have been complying with the directive without much ado. The government only paid March salaries to civil servants but didn’t provide any palliatives to cushion the effects of measures, especially on residents who would remain at home after their businesses would have closed. Residents said the stay at home has not been a good experience, especially going by lack of electricity supply and lack of what their families would eat.
Another resident, Okechukwu Ugwu, a commercial tricycle operator, said: “I don’t spend money unless it is on food. I have asked God to protect my family this period so that we don’t use the little we have on drugs. I want to tell you that I am feeling the pains, despite coming out daily to look for money. I wonder how those whose businesses have been shut in the last four days are doing. It is not the best for us at the moment.
“But the closure without provision of relief materials and preventive materials has become another problem. Petty traders, artisans, farmers and unemployed including the aged, women, youths and children are languishing in starvation. This situation has further worsened their pitiable conditions as many are now sick,” said Mr. Uche Erondu Uche, a trader in Akure metropolis.
He said such window must strictly target the entrepreneurs operating within the poverty bracket, and with poverty reduction and sustainable development at the core of their objectives.
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