Buhari’s new directives will be announced by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, according to the presidency.
The presidency has asked Nigerians to disregard reports that President Muhammadu Buhari will address the nation in a broadcast on Monday, May 18, 2020.
The national coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, had said during an interview on Sunday, May 17 that the country should wait till Monday for the president’s decision on new directives.
This was hours after the president was briefed by the task force regarding the first phase of the gradual easing of the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease.
Many reports interpreted this to mean the president would address the country again, like he has done on three different occasions, two weeks apart, since March 29.
However, the president’s media aide, Femi Adesina, said on Monday that no presidential broadcast was planned. He said the PTF will announce new measures during its daily briefing.
“No presidential broadcast on COVID-19 updates today. None was planned. Rather, the Presidential Task Force will during its usual media briefings bring the nation up to speed on the next steps,” he announced.
The chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha, said last month that the gradual reopening of the Nigerian economy will span the total of six weeks, broken into three tranches of two weeks each.
In the first phase of two weeks which is now over, food processing companies, banks, pharmaceutical industries, government buildings, and neighbourhood markets were allowed to open with directives on measures to put in place.
However, schools across the country, shut down in March by President Buhari, were asked to remain closed for further evaluation, and encouraged to continue with e-learning and virtual teaching.
Social activities such as the use of recreational parks, sports, concerts, social parties and movie theatres also remained suspended.
Religious gatherings also remained suspended by the authorities, although some state governments have started to relax that particular restriction.
Source: Pulse Nigeria
