Ohanaeze kicks against extension of COVID-19 lockdown – The National President of Ohaneze Youth Council (OYC) Comrade Igboayaka O Igboayaka has warned the Federal and State Governments against extension of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Addressing newsmen in Owerri at the weekend, he faulted the extension stressing that the lockdown would starve Nigerians.
Igboayaka warned government should be ready to contend with the mass resistance if they continue to enforce lockdown without reasonable palliative measures.
“This is a paradox of what we see in other parts of the world where their leaders are doing all they can to provide a reasonable welfare package for the masses at this pandemic time, but unfortunately we have rulers that lack empathy,” he stated.
He noted that the youth council had received complaints of hunger and hardship from many Nigerians, particularly the less privileged because their means of livelihood have been truncated as a result of the lockdown for 21 days.
“As the lockdown continues without a reasonable palliative, it has got to the point that hungry masses are seeing coronavirus as a lesser evil to hunger and they will begin to defy the lockdown order.
“We also demand to know how the monies donated were used since people are complaining of hunger especially in Eastern Nigeria.”
He advised the federal government that the best way to curtail the pandemic would be by closing borders and ensure restriction of movement in and out of the country.
By this, he said, internal economic activities would be sustained as people would be able to go about their normal businesses.