COVID-19: Online polls will not determine LASG decision on another lockdown — Official

The Lagos State Government says its final decision on the possibility of another lockdown will not be based solely on the outcome of the online public polls on the issue.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr Olusina Thorpe, said in a statement on Thursday that government would consider other factors before deciding whether to impose another lockdown or not.

The state government, through three of its social media platforms, namely; Twitter: @followlasg, Facebook: Lagos State Government and Instagram: @lagosstategovt, on May 12, instituted a poll to determine the perspective of the public on the possibility of another lockdown of Lagos.

Thorpe said that the initiative was introduced as part of the inclusive strategy of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration to carry the masses along and entrench participatory governance.

He said that an analysis of the polls so far which showed that those for and those against another lockdown were neck and neck indicated the controversial nature of the issue.

”Yes, we agree that the decision of the government on another statewide lockdown should not be solely based on the outcome of the polls, but criticisms that had trailed the issue will make the government feel the pulse of the masses being governed.

”As evident on the three social media platforms, some of the online users voted in favour of another lockdown while some voted against it and a few others remain neutral.

”On our Facebook as at Thursday morning, those who voted against fresh lockdown are more than those who voted in favour of it. While on Twitter, the reverse was the case,” the Permanent Secretary said.

He noted that with the wide exposure of the masses to the social media, the value of online survey could not be undermined in the decision-making process.

He said that this was especially when such decision affected the populace, hence the need to also know what the masses felt about the issue of the lockdown.

On social media influencers on the polls, Thorpe called for patience with the state government, assuring that whatever decision taken by the government would represent the views of the majority, especially the vulnerable.

He commended Lagosians for expressing their views through the platforms and appealed to residents to continue to obey all safety and precautionary measures already reeled out by the government and other relevant health officials.

Recall that Sanwo-Olu recently decried the disposition of some residents who consciously disregarded the social distancing and other guidelines issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and health experts.

The governor threatened another lockdown in the weeks ahead, if persistent disobedience and non-compliance with government’s directives on limiting the community spread of COVID-19 in the state prevailed.