The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, has asked the House of Representatives not to suspend plenary over coronavirus.
Dr Ihekweazu who was on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday urged the lawmakers to support the efforts of experts by providing a budget that is sustainable in curtailing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Lawmakers on Tuesday, passed a resolution to suspend plenary for two weeks to enable the management of the National Assembly, put measures in place against the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The NCDC boss asked the lawmakers to show confidence in the government institutions that they have set up by providing support for the work being done.
“I have a lot of respect for the honourable members of the House of Representatives, but I think the time now hasn’t come, if they respond in a way like that by suspending session, everyone else will ask if they should close their businesses, office or schools and it is disproportionate at this time”.
“They should support the work experts are doing; give us a sustainable budget so that we can develop the expertise.”
“It’s too early to carry out a measure like that; they need to express by their actions and their words, confidence in the government institutions that they have set up and their mandate is to fund.
“I understand they are expressing the anxieties of Nigerians, but they should please support the works we are doing both in the short and long-term.”
The NCDC boss stressed that the time hasn’t come for such because it will create panic amongst Nigerians.
