COVID-19: Buhari extends PTF programme to March 2021

The Presidential Task Force on the COVID19 headed by the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, has had its operation period extended to March 2021.

President Muhammadu Buhari granted the extension following the second wave of coronavirus currently ravaging parts of the world.

The task force submitted its end of the year 2020 report to the president at the presidential villa, Abuja on Tuesday.

A tweet by the PTF on Tuesday stated, “After receiving the End-Term Report of the Presidential Task Force on COVID19, President @MBuhari, today, extended the mandate of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 till the end of March 2021.”

The President also granted the PTF the power to coordinate the process for planning and the strategy for accessing, delivery and administration of the vaccines using the existing health structures that had worked in the past in vaccine administration.

The PTF was put in place in March this year after the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. It has in the last nine months presented eight interim reports along with one Mid-Term Report on the handling of the disease to the President.

Buhari noted that the nation was in a perilous situation, given the virulent nature of the second wave of the pandemic, saying the government must act decisively to protect the people.

He urged all sub-national entities, traditional rulers, religious leaders and leaders of thought to collaborate with the PTF by taking up the responsibility for risk communication and community engagement at all levels.

He also authorised the PTF to engage with the states and the FCT for them to assume full ownership of this stage of the response by deploying legal structures and resources, including enforcement to manage the pandemic within their jurisdictions.