Boss Mustapha: Lagos Got N10bn, Kano N5bn To combat COVID-19

THE Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19
has disclosed that Lagos and Kano States got N10 billion
and N5 billion respectively from the Federal Government
to combat the pandemic as part of resources made
available to states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Chairman of PSC and Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, made this known on
Monday in his presentation entitled, “National Response to
the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria-The Journey so Far” at
the summit on COVID-19 in Abuja.
According to him, while Lagos and Kano got N10 billion
and N5 billion each, other states & FCT got N1bn each
from the national response.
The national response commenced under the then
Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in March 2020.
It later transformed to the Presidential Steering Committee
(PSC) with effect from March 2021.
He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly
become the most significant public health emergency of
“our time”, stressing that at the end of November 2021,
the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that about
five million fatalities had occurred on account of the virus.
SGF disclosed that the PTF/PSC has to date submitted
two major reports to the government, in December 2020
and March 2021, adding the response remains a work in
progress because COVID-19 has not abated.
“Countries of the world including Nigeria, have
experienced the third wave and currently a fourth wave is
unfolding with the Omicron variant,” he said.
Mustapha said: “We have steadily been implementing the
COVID-19 protocols, joining the world to ease up
restrictions The evolution of the pandemic showed us that
remaining vigilant and consistent on our science-based
approach is crucial until such time that we are all safe.
“The emergence of the omicron variant of concern
highlights how fragile and vulnerable we are global.
“It is therefore important that we maintain pressure on the
COVID-19 virus until we deny it the opportunity to continue
to circulate and mutate.
“Our overall focus will be to scale up vaccination of our
population to reach targets set by the WHO. Nigeria needs
to continue to implement public health and social
measures in place combined with effective vaccination
now that we are getting the vaccines.
“With the emergence of Omicron, Nigeria, like some other
countries have become targets of restrictive measures.
“This has to be only on a strong basis of science and data.
Nigeria joins the WHO and other countries in calling on
countries of the world to implement risk-based
international protocols that are in line with international
health regulations whilst we are developing a new
pandemic treaty that will avert this type of situation.
“Global health security is our collective responsibility
irrespective of our economic status,” he said.