By Felix Khanoba
The Federal Government has commended manufacturers in the country for sustaining production of essential commodities despite the lockdown and curfew put in place to guard against the spread of COVID-19.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, gave the commendation in Abuja at the weekly briefing of the Committee on Sustainable Production and Delivery of Essential Commodities During COVID-19.
Represented by Engr. Battah Ndirpaya, Manager, Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) of the committee, Adebayo expressed delight that manufacturers and industries were able to overcome initial challenges of production and distribution of essential items.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by Mr Ibrahim Haruna, Deputy Director (Press), Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
The minister said the intervention of the government in ensuring free flow of essential commodities like food items, medical and pharmaceutical products while observing all standard procedures, as recommended by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was a major encouragement to manufacturers.
He, however, identified inter-state restrictions and curfew as major stumbling blocks still militating against the free-flow and movement of essential commodities.
The minister called on handlers of vehicles transporting essential commodities to desist from the habit of smuggling passengers into states of destinations to avoid running into serious troubles.
