President, Centre for Change, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, has urged the government to engage Nigerian professionals to join the international search for solution to corona virus pandemic.

According to the woman activist, every suggestion of possible solutions by our own people should also be examined closely for whatever it is worth, adding, “It will not be out of place if the government impanels a committee of eminent Nigerians in this regard.

“While the citizenry will have to behave more responsibly, Governments at federal and state levels have to up the ante and be alive to their responsibilities. We have said it before and it bears repeating here again that the professionals must be listened to rather than resorting to knee jerk political decisions to satiate sentiments or curry fleeting advantages that will ultimately prove disastrous.

“Close attention must continue to be placed to the skyrocketing figures while all possible solutions should be painstakingly considered. In the final analysis, home-grown solutions must be factored into the equation like other nations, some of them even African, are doing,” Okei-Odumakin asserted.

In a press statement titled “Taking Stock: Four Days after Relaxation of Lock-down As Infection figures hit 3145...,” She said, “the prognosis is not looking bright at all for the fight against coronavirus nationwide. This is just four days after the partial relaxation of lock-down in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun, with new infection figures practically hitting the roof.

“It is not surprising that community transmission of the virus would spike as photographs showed how anxious citizens threw all physical distancing protocols out of the window. So scandalous were the sights that government had to threaten a return to total lock-down again if the protocols continued to be disregarded.

“The new epicentre of the virus in Kano and the irresponsible movement of people across boundaries and borders have not helped matters. Other causes for worry are the reported shortage of reagents to continue with testing, depleted stock of PPE even for health workers, and shortage of bed spaces at isolation centres.”

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