COVID-19: NLC Warns Buhari Against Extending Lockdown Beyond April 27th.

In response to the hardship and deprivation experienced by the majority of Nigerians, the NLC has warned Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari of the dangers of extending the lockdown order.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) warned President Muhammadu Buhari against extending the lockdown, this warning is coming in spite of the increased cases of Coronavirus infection being experienced in the country.

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The NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, informed President Buhari in a letter sent to the presidency that there was the likelihood of social unrest in some states in the federation, especially those states that have been on lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic if the current lockdown were to be extended.

Wabba urged Buhari to be guided by the welfare and security of Nigerians while making the decision on lockdown extension.

According to the NLC, Nigeria’s economy has already taken a beating from the previous lockdown and warned that it might relapse into a worse state if the lockdown is extended beyond April 27th.

The letter read in part:

“While we understand the public health imperatives for extending the lockdown in some parts of the country, it is also very important to underscore the fact that the states currently under total lockdown are the economic and administrative nerve centres of Nigeria.

“This is very dicey. As much as it is important to keep many Nigerians from dying in the hands of coronavirus, loss of income and the accompanying destitution can also be a pathfinder for numerous other sicknesses and deaths. This is the time to play the balancing game.

“The prolonged lockdowns are best effective in the short-term, while with the medium to long-term, the human instinct to survive would kick in and restraint might lead to the collapse of law and order.

“No one is sure how long this dam would hold. We fear that the situation will get out of hand if the lockdown exceeds one month.

“Beyond the threat of COVID-19 to health and life, there are also very real threats to livelihood.

“Jobs are under threat. Many employees are finding it difficult to source money to keep workers at work and sustain the production lines. It has been projected that the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 would ripple on, at least, for the next two years.”