By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The Civil Societies Organisations, CSO, in Nigeria have recommended various strategies and set agenda for Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for effective unlocking of the state in the efforts towards combating further spread of the ravaging COVID-19.
The organizations commended the state government for her continuous efforts in containing the spread of the virus, even as it acknowledged the various interventions including the setting up of more isolation centres, the decentralisation of COVID-19 testing through the setting up of local government sample collection centres as well as the varied approaches to palliative food distribution.
In a statement for the CSOs by Mr. Deji Akinpelu, Coordinator, Rethinking Cities, they told Governor Sanwo-Olu that there were insufficient skilled personnel for the decentralised testing in many localities.
Akinpelu noted that there were efficiency and coordination gaps in the food distribution with many of the targeted beneficiaries still unable to access supply, with cases of social injustices such as violent lockdown enforcement and forced evictions.
“Local governments have been weakened over the past decades; the resulting lack of trust from citizens is now a serious impediment for a quick and coordinated response to contain the disease,” he stated.
To ensure that the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos is effective and sustainable, and most importantly leaves no one behind, CSO recommend some steps Sanwo-Olu.
They include: “Direct palliatives be extended to residents of local communities within the state including slums and coastal settlements that may not be captured yet in the official government registers. They are among the most adversely impacted;
“Enhance coordination of social support initiatives and palliative distribution by government, individuals, corporate and charitable organizations;
“We propose that the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Office of Civic Engagement, Ministry of Agriculture and Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, LASURA, should provide information on currently under-served localities and directs non-governmental interventions to such areas in order to enable equitable distribution of palliatives.
“Harmonise all existing data (LASSRA, NIMC) in the state in order to ensure that all resident cohorts requiring medical and logistic support are identified and appropriately supported;
“Prioritise community-led approaches in information dissemination and palliative distribution to enhance efficiency and ensure that such materials get to target beneficiaries.”
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According to them, Governor Sanwo-Olu needs to “support community-led approaches aimed at extending access to clean water through additional boreholes and provision of water containers in designated water depots to facilitate frequent hand washing;
“Increase communities’ long-term resilience through the employment of sanitation and health councillors at local government level (under supervision of Ministry of Health) to provide education and awareness about the realities of infectious diseases like COVID19 and the need for all community members to take responsibility for its containment, and
“Protect the rights of all residents and ensure those rights are not abused in the implementation of any state regulations.”
He added that: “As many parts of the world slowly transit to a post-lockdown reality, there is need to start preparing Lagos
“In particular, long term measures need to be introduced to densely-populated communities to enable return to economic and public activities,” the civil societies advised Sanwo-Olu.
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