The House of Representatives on Tuesday resolved to suspend plenary for two weeks to screen and detect symptoms of the deadly coronavirus, currently spreading fear across the country. .
The House said the period will allow the Management of the National Assembly and principal officers, provide screening and detection facilities at the complex.
The decision to close the Green Chamber, came from Minority Leader, Rep. Ndudi Godwin Elumelu (PDP-Delta), while the House adopted a Motion moved by Rep Josiah Edem(PDP-Akwa Ibom) calling for a serious tackling of the virus.
During the debate on the motion, most of the lawmakers lamented that there is no measure to adequately prepare the national assembly in the event of the infection of staff or any of the visitors.
“This house should suspend plenary for two weeks for adequate handling of this matter and to allow management to put measures so that all of us can be be tested,” he said.
Rep Isiaka Ibrahim representing Ewekoro Federal Constituency in Ogun State said the federal government needs to do more to be pro-active.
“The facilities are not here presently,” he said, adding: “There are only two control centres, one in Lagos and one in Abuja. Nigeria is standing at zero as far as this is concerned.
Awaji-Inombek Abiante from Rivers state said there is nothing to check the spread of the virus to the National Assembly Complex.
“We brought down a motion to bring down our brothers and sisters in Wuhan for fear that we don’t have the capacity to handle it. Now, our fears have caught up with us,” he said.
“We saw where ministers were praising themselves that Nigeria was ready for the coronavirus. We should be more pro-active. Here, there is nothing to check any man who is symptomatic.
“We don’t have anything at all. Are we ready for what is coming to us? The answer is no. Let us make contributions that will indeed better the future of this country and that of Nigerians.”
Nasiru Ali from Kano state said it is a sad thing that Nigeria has only three isolation centres despite being Africa’s most populous country.
Recall that few days ago, an Italian man was confirmed to be Nigeria’s first Coronavirus case after arriving from Milan travelling through Lagos State to Ogun state. He has since been quarantined and according to reports, he’s said to be doing well and responding to treatment.
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