Banks, Firms, Government Offices to Reopen Monday

• Schools Remain Shut, Public Transport to Operate 6am- 6pm

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has directed government offices, banks and manufacturing companies to reopen on Monday. The Chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha, and the Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, stated this at the media briefing of the group on Wednesday in Abuja, where they gave guidelines for the gradual reopening of the economy.

According to them, banks will start operating as from Monday, but will only open from 8am to 2pm and must adhere to social distancing measures.

They also stated that the use of face masks in public places is mandatory, and added that schools would remain closed and social gatherings remain banned. The PTF members disclosed that public buses would only be allowed to operate from 6am to 6pm and that drivers must maintain social distancing in terms of number of their passengers.

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They said employers must provide face masks and thermometers besides maintaining social distancing in their premises. It would be recalled that government offices and many business premises had been shut since last month when the President announced measures to stop the spread of Coronavirus.

However the task force Chairman, Mustapha, on Wednesday said that the reopening of the economy did not mean an end to COVID-19 pandemic. He urged state governments and security agencies to ensure that the measures introduced by the Federal Government were strictly enforced.

Mustapha said, “In line with Mr. President’s directive in paragraphs 38-41 of his broadcast (on Monday), the PTF has developed sector specific guidelines. The gradual reopening of the economy will span a total of six weeks broken into three tranches of two weeks each.

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“This phased strategy is designed to reduce the pains of socio-economic disruptions while strengthening our public health response, which would ultimately reduce the recovery of our economy and provide succour for the poor and vulnerable.”

According to him, as the economy reopens gradually, public and private organisations are mandated to ensure fumigation and decontamination of their premises. He added that in all private and public establishments, there must be use of face masks; provision of thermometers for temperature checks and consideration must be given to persons living with disabilities while making all the arrangements.

Mustapha said, “A mass gathering of more than 20 people outside of a workplace is strictly prohibited and controlled access to neighbourhood markets and locations of economic activities will be enforced.

“Mandatory temperature checks will be conducted in public places; social distancing of two metres will be maintained between people in workplaces and other public places; all passenger flights remain under ban; and there will be mandatory supervised isolation of persons arriving from outside the country for at least 14 days.”

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The President had in his broadcast said guidelines for the reopening of the economy would be issued.

The National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu, gave more insight into the guidelines. He stated, “For government offices, government staff will be allowed to resume from the 4th of May, but it will be based on specific grade levels and specific days so that we can reduce the amount of congestion that we might have in our government offices and we will be discussing further with state governments to make sure that we have a common approach to this.

“Banks will be allowed to open but there will be a restriction in the opening hours to between 8am to 2pm and together with all the other preventive measures,” such as temperature check and maintaining of social distance.

Although the task force had said it did not stop banks from opening, many of them had shut their doors since the lockdown began.

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Speaking on other aspects of the guidelines, Aliyu said, “From the point of agriculture and rural development, companies involved in food processing can commence operation.

“In construction sites, the critical roads (work) will be allowed but waivers will be provided by state governments to enable movement.

“For the manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries, we will encourage shift work and limiting staff to only 30 to 50 per cent to maintain social distancing and pharmacy shops may remain open overnight.”

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He said, “Restaurants will not open to the public, but will be allowed to engage in home delivery. Schools will remain closed till further evaluation. Schools are encouraged to continue with e-learning and virtual teaching.

“Social activities such as the use of recreational parks, communal sports, concerts, social parties and movie theatres will be suspended until further review.”

Aliyu added that outside the curfew hours, buses and motor parks would be allowed to open “for some hours in a day, I believe 6am to 6pm, and taxis will also be allowed to operate.”

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