Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday announced that he has decided to extend the mandate of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 till the end of March 2021 as the number of cases continues to increase due to the outbreak of the second wave of the pandemic, reported CGTN Africa.
“Nigeria cannot afford to lose the gains of the last nine months,” the Nigerian President said. “I have critically evaluated the situation and remain convinced that urgent measures have to be taken to halt the spread of the Coronavirus and the attendant fatalities.”
Buhari made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19’s End-of-Year Report from members of the task force led by its Chairman, Boss Mustapha.
The Nigerian president constituted the PTF in March to spearhead Nigeria’s multi-sectoral inter-governmental efforts to contain the spread and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
The first COVID-19 case in Nigeria was reported on 28 February. The country has recorded 78,790 coronavirus cases and 1,227 deaths as of Tuesday afternoon. Nigeria’s caseload is the ninth-highest in Africa while its death toll is the tenth-highest.
The Nigerian president warned that the country is currently facing a steep rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases which is similar to the second wave of infections occurring in other countries across the world.
He said that his administration is working to speedily and strategically access and administer the COVID vaccine in a safe, effective, and timely manner.
He went on to urge the people of the country to remain vigilant during the festive period to avoid contracting or spreading the virus further. He requested the citizens to abide by all the protective guidelines issued by relevant authorities.
“As the festive season approaches, I urge all Nigerians to remain vigilant and stay safe. Non-essential trips and large social gatherings should be avoided or shelved completely,” said Buhari.
