The National Assembly on its own, locked itself down for two weeks last week Tuesday with the hope of resuming next week Tuesday, April 7, 2020, which may not be so again with the latest lockdown directive by President Muhamnadu Buhari on FCT, Lagos and Ogun states . Taiye Odewale reports.
NASS’ initial lockdown
Rising from zero case index of the Coronavirus pandemic within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT, Abuja) penultimate week, to six case index as at Tuesday last week, both chambers of the National Assembly by way of resolutions, shut down all legislative activities for two weeks as a way of curtailing outbreak of the deadly virus in the National Assembly and its further spread in FCT.
Specifically, resolution of Senate to this effect was taken during a closed door session the upper legislative chamber had between 10:50am to 12:00noon last week Tuesday.
In announcing the resolution after the closed door session, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said: “The Senate resolves to adjourn sitting for two weeks from today due to the pandemic of coronavirus ravaging the entire world and therefore the senate will resume on the 7th of April 2020.
Being a parliament run with the same legislative calendar, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila made similar announcement same day.
NASS Complex also
In giving it the required administrative teeth in form of total lockdown, hours after both chambers of the National Assembly adjourned for two weeks over the Coronavirus pandemic, the Clerk to National Assembly, Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Omolori, ordered all categories of staff to follow suit.
Omolori in a personally signed circular Tuesday last week explained that the measure was necessitated by the rising wave of Coronavirus in Nigeria within the last few days. Also included in the lockdown are banks, restaurants and other private organisations operating within the premises of the National Assembly.
He warned that severe sanctions await any staff or corporate bodies that violate the directive.
Clerks of both Chambers of the National Assembly , Directorate Secretaries, Heads of Departments and those offering essential services were however exempted from the stay at home directive .
The circular titled: “Emergency Measures to Curtail COVID 19 in the National Assembly”, reads “The Leadership of both Houses of the National in consultation with the management of the National Assembly, has noted with concern, the rising incidence of COVID 19 and the need to put in place effective measures to curtail the possible incidence and spread of the disease in the National Assembly.
“Earlier today (Tuesday, March 24, 2020), both Houses adjourned plenary till 7th April 2020. In furtherance of this, the following measures are being put ‘in place:
“(a) All Staff, including Legislative Aides, other than those enumerated in paragraph 2(b) are directed to remain at home with effect from Wednesday, 25th March. 2020, for an initial period of two (2) weeks, subject to review;
“(b) The following categories of staff are exempted from the measure contained in paragraph 2 (a) above:
“(i) Clerks of the two Chambers and Secretaries to the Directorates; (ii) All Directors/Heads of Departments: (iii) Identified essential staff covering Medical, Security and
Utility services; and (iv) Any other staff that might be needed from time to time as will be indicated by the Clerks of the two Chambers and Secretaries to the Directorates.
“All Staff of the National Assembly are hereby directed to remain within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as any staff needed will be summoned to the Office. I wish to add that failure to heed to this directive will attract sanctions.
“By this circular, all banks, restaurants and other business outfits within the National Assembly Complex are to close for the period.
“In the meantime, all legislators and staff are requested to strictly adhere to professional advice from the Honourable Minister of Health, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the Presidential Task Force for the Control of COVID -19”.
Presidential fiat
But the date of resumption set by relevant authorities in the National Assembly was overrun by a higher directive on Sunday ( March 29, 2020) when President Muhamnadu proclaimed total lockdown on FCT, Lagos and Ogun States as a result of increasing wave of the pandemic in the affected areas within the last one week which saw Lagos rising to 68 index cases of reported infections, FCT 21 and Ogun 3.
The president in his directive said: “Based on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Health and the NCDC, I am directing the cessation of all movements in Lagos and the FCT for an initial period of 14 days with effect from 11pm on Monday, 30th March 2020. This restriction will also apply to Ogun State due to its close proximity to Lagos and the high traffic between the two States.
“All citizens in these areas are to stay in their homes. Travel to or from other states should be postponed. All businesses and offices within these locations should be fully closed during this period.
“The governors of Lagos and Ogun states as well as the Minister of the FCT have been notified. Furthermore, heads of security and intelligence agencies have also been briefed”
Though required exemptions from the lockdown were made for agencies and bodies running essential services in the land but the fact remains that while the earlier lockdown made by National Assembly on itself is to end next week Tuesday, April 7, 2020; the one imposed by President Buhari will end on Monday, April 13th, 2020.
The Monday being an Easter Monday is ordinarily supposed to be a public holiday, meaning that resumption for the National Assembly will now be Tuesday, April 21, 2020 as against Tuesday, April 7, 2020.
Powers surely pass powers even with the doctrine of separation of powers.
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In the meantime, all legislators and staff are requested to strictly adhere to professional advice from the Honourable Minister of Health, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the Presidential Task Force for the Control of COVID -19.
