COVID-19: Lagos residents lament lack of basic needs

Some Lagos residents who have been at home since March 26 because of the lockdown order by the Federal Government are complaining of lack of basic needs to survive the 14 days.

It was reported that the lockdown of businesses and stay at home order was part of the government measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Mr Kamal Jaylomi, a poly product trader at the Alaba Suru Lagos market said that he could not cope with the lockdown.

Jaylomi, a father of four said the situation could be likened to war period without basic necessities to support citizens and households, saying that many “go to bed with their stomachs empty.”

“The situation is a horrifying one where a father will be staring at his children die of hunger. How long are we going to stay in this kind of hunger, solitude and deprivation?

“Today is just the second day into the 14 days of lockdown that began before the state’s own elapsed and hunger is on the face of everybody in town,” he said.

Mr James Osamade, a Real Estate Consultant said that for government to continue to ensure the success of the stay at home order, there should be provision of relief items to the people.

“Hunger is capable of killing more people in the country than the COVID-19 disease as people before the order do not have enough money to stock food and basic needs to last them for the lockdown period.

“The state should put aside every formality that is delaying relief materials from getting to the masses because the situation out there is biting.

“In as much we are trying to solve one problem, we should not create another in the process as it will defeat the purpose of the whole thing.

“Nigerians are hungry and the only way to make people to stay at home to enable government manage the coronavirus pandemic is by providing them with basic needs to cushion in the social effect,” he said.

Mrs Bolanle Jinadu, a social worker with the Nigeria Red Cross said the situation called for patience on the part of the people to help the state to be effective in controlling the pandemic.

Jinadu said that both the government and donor agencies would soon come with the aids for the masses.

She said that logistics was being worked out to mitigate the hardship in the land.

It was reported that President Muhammadu Buhari, in a state broadcast on Sunday ordered total cessation of movement in Lagos, the Federal Capital and Ogun to forestall further spread of coronavirus in the country.

The country has recorded over 131 cases, discharged eight infected persons after treatment and two have died.