What individuals can do to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
Adekunle Adewumi
Our News Commentary today focuses on what individuals can do to complement government’s and the private sector’s efforts in providing succour to the people as COVID-19 ravages.
The surge in the number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Nigeria is no doubt something to worry about.
Government in its bid to tackle the spread of the pandemic has put several measures in place, including the stay at home order.
Whilst government’s revenues and the private sector have taken a serious hit, those who earn daily wage and are unable to go out due to the lockdown are facing a hard time and are almost starving.
Unfortunately, this class of people with informal jobs make up over 80 percent of the economy of sub-sahara Africa, Nigeria inclusive.
It is true that government at federal, state and local levels are doling out palliatives such as food items and money, but this, as evidence has shown, is like a drop of water in an ocean.
Whilst there has been backlash about government’s yardstick in sharing these palliatives, the fact remains that in a largely monolithic economy that is rent-based like Nigeria, revenues have dropped and would continue to drop as the nation’s crude oil is almost worthless on the international market.
Demand has nosedived the world over and even though the leadership in Nigeria must really start paying serious attention to truly diversifying the economy, the hard truth therefrom is that government alone cannot provide succour to the people at this time. And there is also just so much that the private sector or affluent individuals can do.
This is the time to show the humanity in us as Nigerians. You do not have to be a ‘Dangote’ or an ‘Elumelu’ to do right by the people around you. Let he who have five bowls of rice give out one or two. Let he who have ten tubbers of yam give out a few to neighbours who have none. Everyone knows the vulnerable in their community.
The words of Doris Lee that “Kindness is the best form of humanity” ring loud at a time like this and Mother Theresa’s take that “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other” are very instructive.
