Abia Civil Societies Coalition Commends State Govt For Co-opting Coalition Into The State’s Covid-19 Stakeholders Forum

According to the group, This act – by the government – is quite democratic and has given a broad-based participation, more accountability and openness to the enforcement of Covid-19 containment.

In a press release by the Coalition, namely; Foundation for Environmental Rights,Advocacy & Development (FENRAD); Initiative For Women Empowerement & Development (IWED); Society For Economic Rights & Social Justice (SERSJ); Southeast Human Rights& Pro Democracy Group(Abia state chapters); Congress of Human Rights Groups (CHR); Divine Guidance Education Services (DGES); Health & Rural Development Agenda and Many others, the groups appreciates the government’s decision to ease the statewide lockdown through a phased and studied approach since on both sides and ends, government and the citizenry are bearing some economic brunt.

“This equally requires utmost carefulness in implementation as it is not yet uhuru with the novel pandemic since public health and safety remains paramount”, parts of the statement reads.

“As for the easing of the lockdown measures, with specific regards to the markets, the Coalition sees the need for the government to work with market committees whose primary duty shall be to ensure total compliance with the containment guidelines when the markets finally open.

“Based on the Coalition’s monitoring and evaluation of 4th May 2020 ease of the lockdown, many citizens do not have face mask yet, even when it is sold for 100 naira. Also are there many who have showed reluctance in wearing same. This is not the level of ignorance and noncompliance to be expected in marketplaces which have high risk potential.

“The Coalition urges that greater energy be deployed to education and sensitization. Before opening, whenever safety tells, markets should be disinfected and fumigated and when and if finally opened, marketers and grocers must have running water and sanitizer as stipulated already by the state government.

“The Coalition observes that though the state government made provision for palliatives and distribution of same during the statewide lockdown, there were noticeable lapses with sharing and distribution of relief to the vulnerable as the materials could not, in some cases, trickle down to the (very) poor who are in dire need of such. This, the Coalition urges the state’s inter-ministerial committee to look into given that bulk and bunch of the state’s population falls within the daily wage group.

“There were security operational guidelines as to the enforcement of the stay-at-home order, part of the containment of the virus; to this end, due regard and reference must made to the letter of March 22 released by the Police Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mbah, urging men and officers of the Nigeria Police to ensure compliance with Human Rights and rules of engagement in the furtherance of the campaign to end Covid-19 for good.

“The Coalition understands that Human Rights have in most cases been utterly violated by the security agencies; same rights enforcers and custodians. Intimidation of motorists and operators of tricycle (known as “keke NAPEP” in the common parlance) by certain police officers on duty as well as other security agencies who insist that such drivers and operators part with some tips before gaining clearance has been observed ; this is even when such drivers and operators are conveying essential goods which under the Covid-19 guidelines is not unlawful.

“This way, many vehicles have been impounded and ransom met. Against what the general rules are, arrests without charging of offenders to mobile courts have been perpetrated by security agencies equally. While there are mobile courts to see to the justice and conformity with the guidelines, the police have forcefully detained certain persons more than two days, in known cases, during the lockdown. These amount to breach of fundamental rights and out and out disregard for rules of engagement earlier stated. The Coalition condemns this in toto.

“Similarly, the attitudes of members of the state task force in the line of duty is lamentable. Many among these persons compromise the standard for bribes and tips. A video of task force men beating and assaulting a woman had gone viral on the internet. This, if not checked can put paid to the good motives of state government in a time like this. The Coalition is not unaware of the incident at Ogbor Hill, Aba, which claimed the life of a tricycle operator said to be pursued by the task force team.

“While the federal and state governments are ensuring restriction of movement of citizens and chattels, tighting up border and boundary operations to further mitigate spread and community infection of the dreaded virus, the task force members together with some security agencies, who unfortunately, neither understand nor see themselves as frontline workers, have allowed passage to many travellers into and outside the state, all for bribe.

“This way, in some cases, have the compliant ones (among the security agencies) been able to intercept vehicles coming to Abia all the way from the North. It is not so much to say the guidelines forbade Abians outside the state entry but that the lives of Abians within must be protected as is the constitutional responsibility of the state government.

“This act of allowing people into the state in a time like this is counterproductive to the campaign against Covid-19 as it endangers public health. Cases of interceptions of non-indigenes entering Abia abound to the knowledge of the Coalition too.

“The Coalition, this way and wise, calls on the state government and the inter-ministerial committee to look into these problems as what is happening in places like Lagos, Abuja and Kano should be deterrent to us all. For public safety and good, border porosity must be addressed and forthwith.

“It is ideal, the Coalition understands, to use a time like this to work on having testing centres and as well rapidly increasing testing within the state. The rapid response team should ensure publicity of the number of those tested and results of same to help enlighten the public about what measures the government is taking.

“The Coalition, once again, reaffirms its resolve to work for the good of Abians in containing this deadly virus and thanks the state government for this timely co-option.

“Lastly, the Coalition urges Abians to exhibit attitudes that confirm with the stated guidelines as together we can win the war against Covid-19.