The Senate on Tuesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation on the scourge of Coronavirus.
Speaking through order 42 and 52, Senator Danjuma Goje, a former Governor of Gombe State explained that preventable measures should be taken, rather than waiting to tackle it when it occurs.
“Though the issue of Coronavirus was discussed on Tuesday through the Chairman of Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloreigbe, I felt that given the gravity of this issue worldwide, there is a need by the Senate to extensively discuss it.
“This is a problem now worldwide even though the Federal government has been doing its own part, because the Minister of Health has been issuing statements to the effect that we should do this, we should not do that and those who have been infected.
“I believe also that the Lagos State government and the Federal government have been able to curtail this pandemic to a large extent.
“Countries worldwide and big country like the United States of America is taking drastic measures to either contain or prevent coronavirus from entering their country.
“Even countries without the incident are taking measures. Even Africa countries, like Senegal, Rwanda, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya are taking serious measures to protect their countries.
“Even religious bodies are also taking steps. Countries like Saudi Arabia that has no single case of infection and even Kaaba which we all know as Muslims.
“Vatican has announced that we would celebrate Easter without a full congregation and I believe as a country, we should do something very drastic.
“This thing starts gradually. like in the United States, it starts from one to two and as at this morning, it has extended to fifty states.
“Even though we think we don’t have the problem here, we have contacts in Lagos, it will not end there, it will go to Oyo, Sokoto, Borno, and other places.
“In view of this, Mr. President, I want this Chamber to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation on CoronaVirus.
“Other President have been doing that even bigger countries like the United States of America.
Senate after the debate resolved that Nigeria citizens should stop travelling to highly infected countries, as well as restrictions of international airlines to Lagos and Abuja international airports.
It was also resolved that President Buhari should address the citizens so that Nigerians would know the extent of the Federal Government’s commitment to curtailing the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government had placed a travel ban on some countries due to curb the spread of COVID-19.