Posted on Mar 18, 2020
The Senate on Wednesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to personally address Nigerians on the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The upper chamber also urged the Federal Government to take more drastic precautionary measures against the spread of the disease.
The resolutions adopted by the Senate are as follows: “Senate should call on President to personally address this nation on this issue. Bigger countries are doing that. If he comes out, I think Nigeria will take this matter more seriously. I am not saying they are not doing anything,
“Federal Government to take more drastic precautionary measures should include but not limited to travel ban, outright ban of some countries, tighter border controls, restricted gathering, stringent checking of coming into the country, a compulsory Quarantine for two weeks.
“Urge the Federal Government and Nigerians to keep abreast of all the measures and development taking place worldwide
“Urge the Senate to give full support in fighting the spread of Corona Virus, a testing center should be opened in states of the Federation, prevent Foreign airlines from taking flights from high risk countries to Nigeria, shutdown all International airports except Abuja and Lagos to ensure proper testing and checks,
“Urge the Federal Government to suspend issuance of Visa on arrival.
“Federal, State, Local Governments and departments of public health to ensure that all public health requirements are properly monitored in accordance with health procedures.
“Urge Federal Government to ensure an immediate meeting of the National Council of Health to harmonise their responses to the COVID-19 and set up a special intervention fund to tackle the COVID-19.”
A recommendation for the Ministry of Agriculture to restock the nation’s silos was rejected.
The resolutions of the Senate followed a point of order moved by Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) at plenary.
In his lead debate, Goje stressed the need to put drastic measures in place to curb the spread of the disease as already done in other by other affected countries.