The Int’l Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law (Intersociety) has commended the Lagos State Government and two Anambra community associations for their efforts in checking the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in their areas.

It said that the Government of Lagos State “has truly done well in its efforts at taming the spread of COVID-19 and treating those already living with it,” stressing that although the State has not fully arrived or can be compared to what is obtained in the western world, “it is still next to none in terms of measures put in place and results already achieved.”

And for embarking on COVID-19 fumigation of their two urban areas to check the spread of the pandemic in their communities instead of waiting in vain for the Government of Anambra State, the Presidents-General Iyiowa Community Association and Onitsha Fegge Housing Estate Community, Agozie Okoye and Afam Udeogaranya respectively also received the accolade of the rights group.

Intersociety made the commendation in a statement issued on Friday and signed by its four principal officers: Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chair; Obianuju Igboeli, Head of Civil Liberties & Rule of Law; Chinwe Umeche, Head of Democracy & Good Governance; and Comrade Samuel Kamanyaoku, Head of Field Data Collection & Documentation.

It said based on prevailing circumstances the state found itself and going by the realities on ground, the Lagos Government has done well particularly in the area of enlightenment.

“The public enlightenment modes adopted by the State (use of English and native Yoruba languages) is first of its kind in the recent time Nigeria. The call to serve and communication language of the State Government also totally depicts civility, humility and democratic friendliness. In terms of ‘testing capacity’ in the country, going by ‘Nigerian standard,’ Lagos State is the best.”

The group however took a swipe on the state for what it called “the virus of borrowing governance” or “government of debts” for which it said, Lagos State is the worst in Nigeria.

On the efforts of the two Anambra Urban communities in the fumigation of their areas with anit-COVID-19 chemicals as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), their Presidents-General received kudos for being proactive.

“These are typical cases of community selfless service or constitutional Corporate Social Responsibilities. They have further shown that not even complaint of ‘lack of public funds’ can retard or stop societal growth and development. It is on ancient and modern records that through the use of ‘soldier-ant and termite methods’, magnificent and largest mansions and monuments have been built in different cities and societies across the world using direct labour. That was how the Great Chinese People Parliament or the Great Hall of the People, the largest in the world was built.”

“While the Government of Anambra State has continued to sit armchair particularly in the area of fumigation of all nooks and crannies of the State with anti-COVID-19 fumigation and provision of protective kits and feeding palliatives to the citizenry or engaging in ‘random sampling’ approaches, where done, other public spirited bodies and individuals in the State are called upon to borrow a leave from the two urban PGs and their associations.

“It is even better for public-spirited individuals in the State to channel what they have for anti-COVID-19 prevention into their communities, specifically in the areas of anti-COVID-19 fumigation and provision of protective kits; than to donate cash sums that cannot realistically be accounted for. For easy links on how to anti-COVID-19 fumigation, interested bodies may call the line below for third party contacts,” Intersociety said in the statement.

•PHOTO: Emeka Umeagbalasi at work with some landlords during the Iyiowa COVID-19 Fumigation exercise . . . Wednesday, April 22, 2020

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