Lagos got N10bn, Kano N5bn to fight COVID-19 ―Boss Mustapha

THE Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 has disclosed that Lagos and Kano States got N10 billion and N5 billion respectively from the Federal Government to combat the pandemic as part of resources made available to states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Chairman of PSC and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, made this known on Monday in his presentation entitled, “National Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria-The Journey so Far” at the summit on COVID-19 in Abuja.

Mustapha stated that while Lagos and Kano got N10 billion and N5 billion each, other states and FCT got N1 billion each from the national response.

The national response commenced under the then Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in March 2020. It later transformed to the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) with effect from March 2021.

He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly become the most significant public health emergency of “our time”, stressing that at the end of November 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that about five million fatalities had occurred on account of the virus.

SGF disclosed that the PTF/PSC has to date submitted two major reports to the government, in December 2020 and March 2021, adding the response remains a work in progress because COVID-19 has not abated.

He stated: “Countries of the world including Nigeria, have experienced the third wave and currently a fourth wave is unfolding with the Omicron variant”.

Mustapha continues: “We have steadily been implementing the COVID-19 protocols, joining the world to ease up restrictions The evolution of the pandemic showed us that remaining vigilant and consistent on our science-based approach is crucial until such time that we are all safe.

“The emergence of the omicron variant of concern highlights how fragile and vulnerable we are global.

“It is therefore important that we maintain pressure on the COVID-19 virus until we deny it the opportunity to continue to circulate and mutate.

“Our overall focus will be to scale up vaccination of our population to reach targets set by the WHO. Nigeria needs to continue to implement public health and social measures in place combined with effective vaccination now that we are getting the vaccines.

“With the emergence of Omicron, Nigeria, like some other countries have become targets of restrictive measures.

“This has to be only on a strong basis of science and data. Nigeria joins the WHO and other countries in calling on countries of the world to implement risk-based international protocols that are in line with international health regulations whilst we are developing a new pandemic treaty that will avert this type of situation.

“Global health security is our collective responsibility irrespective of our economic status,” he stressed.