PRESIDENT BUHARI MAY RELAX RESTRICTION ON RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS TODAY - PTF
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on covid-19 has said President Buhari may relax the restriction on religious gatherings today.
President Muhammadu Buhari met with the covid-19 PTF yesterday at the Presidential Villa and discussed the next phase of reopening some sectors in the country.
Mustapha told newsmen after the meeting that the PTF had made some recommendations to the President.
He said, “That is part of what we have considered in its totality. We await Mr President’s decision on that. Once I receive his approval, going forward, as to certain recommendations that we have put in place, we will see how that happens.
“I can assure you of one thing: the ownership of the next phase will be the responsibility of the states under national supervision and coordination, because we have gone into community transmission. Where are the communities? The communities are in the states.
“So, the ownership of the next phase will be that of the states, the local governments, the traditional institutions, the religious leaders at the different levels of our communities. That is where the problem is.”
Mustapha added, “But you know that Mr President is the only one that can take decisions in respect of that. In the framework, the states are sub-nationals; they have their own responsibilities too. So, it is in the exercise of those responsibilities that they met with religious bodies and agreed on the protocols and guidelines on how to open up. But in the framework of the national response, we are taking that into consideration.”
When asked if the economy would be opened soon, the PTF chairman said, “After we receive the approval of Mr President tonight or tomorrow (Monday) morning, we will now know which (other) segment of the economy is allowed to open.”
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