The Edo State Government has come out to say that its decision to impose partial lockdown in the state in the face of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is their best reaction due to the need to sustain a post-COVID-19 economy.

In a recent statement, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, revealed that the decision was made because Edo’s economy is largely dominated by operators in the informal sector and the effects of a total lockdown would be worse than the virus itself.

According to him, anyone trying to tarnish the image of the government because of the partial lockdown will only be wasting his or her time because the state government took the decision with proper reasoning.

He added that despite the obvious strides by the country to reduce the spread of the viral disease, we cannot afford to sacrifice our people’s economic wellbeing.

His words, “We are aware of sinister plans by some unscrupulous elements to stir controversy over the state government’s decision to adopt a partial as against total lockdown. Their strategy is such that they would influence public opinion to force the government to impose a total lockdown so as to advance their selfish interests to make the government unpopular.

“However, we want to assure Edo people that our position is backed by reasoning as they are at the heart of all government’s policies at all times especially in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Much as we are working assiduously to reduce the spread of the viral disease in the state, we would not do so by sacrificing our people’s economic wellbeing.”

“There is no denying that the informal sector constitutes a major block of the state’s economy. These people survive on daily sales or wages, it would be callous to deprive them of daily bread at this time with a total lockdown. Those behind the call for a total lockdown have refused to see the implicit adverse effects of such moves in other states in Nigeria and different countries across the world.”

“We are not unaware of the issues that have arisen with the total lockdown in some states across the country. There have been civil unrests in some states leading to deaths. In fact, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in its recent report, disclosed that 18 persons have been killed by security operatives in the course of enforcing the total lockdown. The figure is more than the total number of persons that have died from coronavirus.

“Also, the total lockdown in the state has proven not to be effective in containing spread or shutting out the virus, as we have evidence where despite a lockdown, cases of the virus have been recorded in some states that took such measures while in others, a 100 per cent increase in new cases has been recorded.

“At the same time, the resurgence of crime in some states have also been trace to the total lockdown. Hoodlums have gone around terrorising people and robbing them of food and monies. It is obvious that, by its very far-reaching implications, a total lockdown is not advisable.”