COVID-19: Govt has not declared fresh lockdown, says minister

The Federal Government on Tuesday said it had not declared a fresh lockdown in the country over the second wave of COVID-19.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the clarification when he featured on a Radio Nigeria programme, ‘Politics Nationwide’.

He said the directives by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday did not amount to a partial or total lockdown.

Mohammed explained that what the Federal Government had done was to reduce the chances of mass gathering by directing its workers from Level 12 below to work from home.

He said the government also reaffirmed the already existing ban on night clubs and other COVID-19 protocols.

The minister said, “The Federal Government has not declared a fresh lockdown. What we have done is that we have simply reiterated the old protocols and asked federal workers on Level 12 and below to stay at home and they will still receive their salaries.

“Lagos State has equally asked their level 14 workers and below to work from home and Kaduna State has done the same. Therefore, there is no fresh lockdown and the issue of hardship and economy meltdown does not arise.”

The minister said the government also reminded Nigerians that the ban on social gathering was still on and churches and mosques should obey the social gathering rules.

According to Mohammed, the protocols on foreign travels for now indicate that those travelling to Nigeria would not be able to come on board unless they have the certificate that they tested negative for the virus.

He said on arrival into the country, they must self-isolate for seven days after which they would go back for a confirmation test.