The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ACCI, has warned against extension of the lockdown in Nigeria on account of coronavirus, saying that it is not sustainable beyond April.
In a strategy paper released by the ACCI in Abuja on Wednesday, the Chamber recommended the designing and execution of an exit plan as a preliminary action to reopening the economy.
The ACCI observed in a proposal to the Presidential Taskforce, signed by the Chamber’s President, Adetokunbo Kayode, on behalf of the organised private sector that a further extension of the lockdown beyond 27th April was unsustainable.
“The situation report from underprivileged grassroots areas, city suburbs and inner city areas indicate increasing restlessness among those whose livelihood depends on daily pay or trading.
“It is agreed that the lockdown was occasioned by dire need to contain the pandemic. But, by now the conclusion of the third week of the lockdown, there are urgent calls for the designing of an exit strategy,” the document read.
The exit strategy is anticipated to harmonise the continuation of methods to curb and minimise further spread of the pandemic and also reduce the current severe socioeconomic hardships confronting the populace.
“The current total lockdown in most states of the country is becoming unsustainable as resistance from the poor will continue to grow, especially within the suburbs and city slum settlements where majority of the population resides,” the ACCI statement noted.
It observed that many countries around the world were already coming up with exit strategies with focus on security and sustenance of livelihoods.
The ACCI proposed that a technology-driven COVID-19 tracking system be deployed by the federal and state governments when the lockdown is over in order to make tracking, tracing and identification easier.
It emphasised the imperative of enforcing the social and physical distancing directive, saying, “We support mandatory use of face masks and permit use of scarves or any cloth where there is no face mask in public places, public transport, market places and open places.
“The stimulus and palliatives being provided by the states and the federal government is a great initiative.”