• OFFENDERS RISK JAIL TERM
Against the backdrop of the widespreading COVID-19 pandemic renewed by a fearful spike, President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law a bill to check the trend.
The bill, titled “COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations 2021”, is in exercise of the powers conferred on the president by Section 4 of the Quarantine Act, and stipulates a penalty of a fine or a prison term of six months for offenders. The law takes immediate effect.
Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, stated this yesterday, while handing over five ambulances donated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the Federal Ministry of Health, in Abuja.
The new law, Mustapha said, criminalises non-wearing of face masks and emphasises hands washing, and the use of hand sanitisers, among other regulations.
“The regulations enforce physical distancing of, at least, two metres and a regulation of the number of people to be admitted in an enclosed environment, he elaborated, quoting the president as having said:
“In the exercise of the powers conferred upon me by Section 4 of the Quarantine Act, Cap. Q2 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010 and all other powers enabling me in that behalf; and in consideration of the urgent need to protect the health and wellbeing of Nigerians in the face of the widespread and rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria, I, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, hereby make the following Regulations…
“The law provides for wearing of face masks, hands washing, and the use of hand sanitisers, amongst other regulations. “It stipulates a penalty of a fine or a prison term of six months for offenders.
“The law takes immediate effect.”
• Tags: President Muhammadu Buhari,
Mr. Boss Mustapha, COVID-19 (Below)
