Nigeria won’t become a failed state —Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said that doomsday predictions against Nigeria would never come to pass.

According to Mohammed, “Doomsday predictions will not come to pass, Nigeria will not become a failed state.”

He was responding to those predicting that Nigeria was becoming a failed state.

Mohammed spoke during a press briefing in Lagos on Monday, January 2021.

The minister, at the event itemised the achievements made by the Muhammadu Buhari-led government in 2020.

On the vexed issues of recession, surge in cases of COVID-19 and insecurity in the country, Mohammed said the government was making efforts to pull the country out of the economic meltdown, curtail the spread of the global pandemic and ensure the security of Nigerians.

Speaking further, the minister insisted that despite the claims of a fresh lockdown to battle the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, the Federal Government has no plan to impose a fresh lockdown.

According to Mohammed, the FG has never made mention of having a fresh lockdown, and would not, only if Nigerians adhere to all protocols outlined by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

READ ALSO: ‘Nigeria nowhere close to a failed state’ under Buhari —APC

He appealed to Nigerians to always wear their face masks, practice social distancing, wash their hand regularly and avoid large gatherings, so as to restrain the surge of the virus.

A statement by his office read: “On the issue of lockdown, I don’t think there is any time when the Federal Government has said it is going to have a second lockdown. However, the Federal Government is very unhappy that Nigerians are not adhering to the basic Covid-19 protocols of wearing face masks, or practicising social distancing, of washing hands, of ensuring that they do gather in large numbers.

“If we do not do these, the surge will continue and with the new strain of Covid-19 which is becoming much more difficult to handle than the old strain, the Federal Government will continue to insist and encourage Nigerians to please obey the Covid-19 protocols.

“The Federal Government is aware of the economic and social implications of a second lockdown but we want to call on Nigerians to help us, help themselves and help the economy, by adhering strictly to the Covid-19 protocols.”

Ripples Nigeria had reported that in March, 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic, the Federal Government locked down the Federal Capital Territory as well as Lagos and Ogun States for over five weeks as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, which affected the economic status of the country and left many unemployed.

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