President Muhammadu Buhari, today, extended the mandate of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 till March 2021.
This was disclosed in a series of tweet on the official twitter account of the President.
The decision was taken during a meeting the President had with members of PTF today at Aso Villa in Abuja.
The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 was established by President Muhammadu Buhari on March 9, 2020, to coordinate and oversee Nigeria’s multi-sectoral inter-governmental efforts to contain the spread and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
The task force’s mandate extension stems from the spike in confirmed coronavirus cases the nation has been recently witnessing, as well as, the bid for the newly developed vaccine.
“I’m extending the mandate of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 till the end of March 2021, bearing in mind the new surge in the number of cases, and the bid for vaccines”, one of the tweets read.
The President also explained that it was important for the country not to loss the progress made so far in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
Read the tweets below:
“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.
“There is also the need to speedily and strategically access and administer the COVID vaccine in a safe, effective and timely manner. This is an important obligation that we owe Nigerians as we go into year 2021, and it must be carried out through an efficient machinery.
“Now is the time for collective efforts to be intensified. I therefore urge all sub-national entities, traditional rulers, religious and leaders of thought to collaborate with the PTF by taking up the responsibility for risk communication and community engagement at all levels.
“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.”
