By Olanrewaju Adesanya
A Non-Governmental Organisation, Blossom Africa Initiative has said that the sit -at- home directive of government to curb further spread of the pandemic coronavirus can only be effective with a welfare package for the people especially the downtrodden.
Speaking through the President of the organisation, Mr Temitope Musowo, the NGO maintained that the best way to ensure compliance to the sit -at- home order of the government is to make it comfortable for people to stay at home.
Musowo, while speaking with newsmen on Thursday after an awareness campaign carried out by the organisation in various market centres in Lagos, said,” the government need to be mindful of people who earn their living from going out to fend for themselves daily.
Government need to look beyond this elitist policy and backed up its directive with palliative measures or welfare package to make it easy for people to stay at home, not only that, the government need to ensure there is stable electricity supply, availability of water and other basic needs.
We even need to consider how save it is for a family of seven or more living in one room to sit at home, we also have to consider that widow who goes to motor parks every day to sell gala and minerals to feed her children, that road side mechanics who must go out daily to feed his family “, Musowo said.
He also said this moment should be for the government to reflect on the situation of the country, to invest more in the health sector even now that the government officials cannot access foreign medical treatment because of the global pandemic.
“If there is anytime Nigerians need the trader moni it is now, there should be provision for people to feed while sitting at home, although we need data to do this effectively, nonetheless, we no how we reach out to the people during electioneering campaign when we need their votes, we can do same even now, we should not see people as being important only during election period”, the President said.
Regarding the the sensitization programme carried out he said,” as you know that Blossom Africa Initiative is about the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this is about goal 3 which talks about health and well-being, so, we have to join hands with the government to create awareness.
We cannot leave this to the government alone, we all must rise up to the occasion, this is a global pandemic and everyone should be involved in curbing further spread, this thing is not a joke and we need to approach it with all sense of urgency and seriousness “, he maintained.
The Chairman BOT, Mile 12 Market, Alhaji Dandama Yabo who received men from Blossom Africa Initiative thanked the team for the sensitization programme and items distributed.
We have been receiving different organisations who have been coming here to enlighten us and we have been complying with the government’s instructions, you can see our hand washing materials across the market, now that you told us about social distancing we will also comply”, Dandama promised.