FG Sets Date For Banks, Offices To Reopen Amid COVID-19

The Federal Government has set date for banks, offices to reopen amid COVID-19 pandemic.

NewsOne Nigeria reports that bank branches in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja will be opened to customers from Monday, May 4th, 2020.

This burgeoning online news platform understands that President Muhammadu Buhari had announced the gradual easing of the lockdown imposed on Lagos, Ogun and Abuja on Monday to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19).

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, revealed that banking halls would be open to customers between 8 am and 2 pm.

According to Aliyu, government offices and staff of “specific grade levels” will go to work on “specific days.”

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

“Banks will be allowed to open but there will be a restriction in the opening hours to between 8 am to 2 pm and together with all the other preventive measures I have already mentioned.

“In addition to this, from the point of agriculture and rural development, companies involved in food processing can commence operation.

“In construction sites, the critical roads 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% to maintain social distancing and pharmacy shops may remain open overnight,” he said.

Meanwhile, Newsone Nigeria reports that Nigeria’s total confirmed cases of coronavirus have risen to One thousand and five hundred and thirty-two (1532) with two hundred and fifty-five (255) people discharged and forty-four (44) deaths recorded so far.