By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has put forward new steps that will ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the Coronavirus Disease Health Protection Regulation 2021 as released by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
At a stakeholders’ meeting chaired by the minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello at the weekend, fresh ideas were considered in the fight against the disease in the second wave.
In a statement by the minister’s Chief Press Secretary, Anthony Ogunleye revealed that there is the need for the Administration to sanction erring corporate organisations and ensure the effective use of the mobile court system for trial of offenders.
The Administration said it had increased public education and community engagement following a baseline assessment of how much the populace know about the virus and launch massive awareness campaigns across the 6 Area Councils of the FCT to further sensitize members of the public on COVID-19.
While it was noted that commercial transportation is one of the major modes of transmitting the disease, it was resolved that all road transport unions will be engaged to ensure strict enforcement of the provisions of the regulations.
The meeting further resolved that there was the need for traditional rulers, religious and community leaders to fully mobilize and enlighten their various constituents on the need to fully comply with the resolutions. This is in addition to ensuring strict compliance in all the markets across the FCT.
While all public and private schools are to ensure full compliance with the provisions of the regulations, it was also resolved that there was the need for the provision of affordable face masks for members of the public.
Earlier, the minister said that even though the FCT is regarded as an epicenter, the Administration has been successful in its response to the disease and assured of the FCTA’s preparedness to fight the second wave through the cooperation of all the stakeholders across the Territory.
The Minister also disclosed that the Task Force on COVID-19 guidelines enforcement will be re-invigorated to ensure that enforcement cascades down to the community and grassroots level while reminding the security agencies that enforcement of COVID-19 guidelines was now a presidential directive that must be implemented.
While appealing to the PTF for funding to help in the enforcement of the guidelines, the Minister expressed satisfaction with the efforts the FCTA has committed so far to the fight against COVID-19 because those efforts have saved lives.
