FG Orders Banks To Reopen On Monday

The Nigerian government has revealed that bank branches in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun states would be open to customers daily between 8 am and 2 pm.

This was announced by the presidential task force on COVID-19 on Wednesday, during its daily briefing aired on national television stations.

The national coordinator of the task force, Sani Aliyu said that all federal offices nationwide will also open from May 4 for workers to resume work, adding that the resumption will be based on specific grade levels.

According to him, :“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.”

“For government offices, government staff will be allowed to resume from the 4 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.

“In addition to this, from the point of agriculture and rural development, companies involved in food processing can commence operation. In construction sites, critical road 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 per cent to maintain social distancing and pharmacy shops may remain open overnight.” he said.

“This is to enable Nigerians cope with the effects of the lockdown that has been in place for close to a month due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”