By Adedapo Adesanya
Banking halls will be opened to customers between the hours of 8am to 2pm in Lagos, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), from Monday, May 4, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has said.
According to Mr Sani Aliyu, the national coordinator of task force, during a briefing on Wednesday, banks, alongside federal offices, food processing companies and companies in the manufacturing and construction sectors, would also be allowed to open next week.
These offices have been shut down since March 29 when President Muhammadu Buhari announced lockdown in the three locations to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
However, President Buhari on Monday, April 27, announced a gradual and phased ease of movement restrictions in Lagos, Ogun and FCT for the resumption of economic activities.
He then announced a curfew from the hours of 8pm to 6pm.
Speaking on the procedures for the resumption, Mr Aliyu said, “For government offices, government staff will be allowed to resume from the 4th of May but it will be based on specific grade levels and specific days so that we can reduce the amount of congestion that we might have in our government offices and we will be discussing further with state governments to make sure that we have a common approach to this.
“Banks will be allowed to open but there will be a restriction in the opening hours to between 8am to 2pm and together with all the other preventive measures I have already mentioned.
“In addition to this, from the point of agriculture and rural development, companies involved in food processing can commence operation.
“In construction sites, the critical roads will be allowed but waivers will be provided by state governments to enable movement.
“For the manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries, we will encourage shift work and limiting staff to only 30 to 50 percent to maintain social distancing and pharmacy shops may remain open overnight.”
Mr Aliyu noted that despite the graduation easing, it was important that precautions like self-distancing, use of temperature monitors and hand hygiene be enforced in these locations.
He advised people above 65 years of age to avoid mingling with the general public to avoid contracting the virus.
