Senate faults ‘copy and paste’ measures from Europe, others to fight COVID-19 in Nigeria

The Senate on Tuesday warned against Nigeria’s adoption of measures used in fighting COVID-19 in Europe, America and China.

The federal lawmakers gave the warning at an interactive session between the Joint Senate Committee on Health and Aviation, members of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and other stakeholders in the Aviation and Health sectors.

Speaking at the event, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi, argued that COVID-19 was real but was not potent in Nigeria and many African countries.

He said it was wrong for stakeholders in Nigeria to have “swallowed hook line and sinker” the measures adopted to fight COVID-19 in Europe, America, China and other foreign countries.

The Senate on Tuesday warned against Nigeria’s adoption of measures used in fighting COVID-19 in Europe, America and China.

The federal lawmakers gave the warning at an interactive session between the Joint Senate Committee on Health and Aviation, members of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and other stakeholders in the Aviation and Health sectors.

Speaking at the event, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi, argued that COVID-19 was real but was not potent in Nigeria and many African countries.

He said it was wrong for stakeholders in Nigeria to have “swallowed hook line and sinker” the measures adopted to fight COVID-19 in Europe, America, China and other foreign countries.

“There is something in us as Africans that is not in them in Europe and America, which made COVID-19 not to be disastrous here as it was there.

“In the light of this, measures that are detrimental to the livelihood and well-being of Nigerians should be avoided, so as not to kill the nation’s economy,” Senator Adeyemi said.

Insisting that the measure was devastating to an average Nigerian who had to pay N75,000 for such tests, the senator added:

“The amount is too high, it should be brought down and public health Institutions laboratories should be equipped to carry out the tests.”

Another senator, Biodun Olujimi, speaking at the event demanded that the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire and the PTF national coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu should explain the relevance of face masks in Nigeria looking at realities on the ground.

She further demanded that Aliyu should tell why the fight against the dreaded virus had remained a success story in Nigeria.

In his response, Aliyu said that three reasons had already been identified as the reasons for that.

He then said that the reasons “are poverty, demography and the aggressive nature of African countries against the pandemic.”

“There is something in us as Africans that is not in them in Europe and America, which made COVID-19 not to be disastrous here as it was there.

“In the light of this, measures that are detrimental to the livelihood and well-being of Nigerians should be avoided, so as not to kill the nation’s economy,” Senator Adeyemi said.

Insisting that the measure was devastating to an average Nigerian who had to pay N75,000 for such tests, the senator added:

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“The amount is too high, it should be brought down and public health Institutions laboratories should be equipped to carry out the tests.”

Another senator, Biodun Olujimi, speaking at the event demanded that the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire and the PTF national coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu should explain the relevance of face masks in Nigeria looking at realities on the ground.

She further demanded that Aliyu should tell why the fight against the dreaded virus had remained a success story in Nigeria.

In his response, Aliyu said that three reasons had already been identified as the reasons for that.

He then said that the reasons “are poverty, demography and the aggressive nature of African countries against the pandemic.”

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