People Are Likely Going To Violate Lockdown Order Because Of Hunger- Shehu Sani

As the lockdown continues in the face of the ravaging coronavirus pandemic, with many daily income earners lamenting over their situation, Senator Shehu Sani, in this interview by OSADEBAMWEN OSARETIN, says there is a huge problem to be contained by genuine distribution of palliatives.
Do you think that Nigerians can endure this lockdown amid the seeming uncertainty of the announced palliatives?
Firstly, we must recognise that we are in a difficult time; a very trying and tragic moment in the history of our country and the history of the world. The lockdown is a necessary evil that we have to respect and observe. We are simply copying and pasting what the developed countries are doing without putting in place the incentives that will cushion the effects of this curfew on the poor people.
Right now, millions of poor people are stalled in their homes without enough to eat and cater for their families. These palliatives are supposed to be made available before the curfew starts. From the statement coming from the Federal Government, the government or the state governments do not have the data and the details of the people who should benefit from these palliatives. Consequently, what they have even been announcing is not likely to solve 30 per cent of the needs of the population.
The danger of it is that the curfew and the lockdown can only be effective if the people can afford to sit down in their homes and feed their children and their wives. The very time the food stockpiled by the people is exhausted, they will come out on the street and defy any order or directive; curfew or any lockdown. At this time, the resources of the country should be deployed towards ensuring the survival of the poor in their homes. Even if you are rich, you cannot eat your money.
People have to come out and sell food. People have to come out and produce food and if they cannot produce food, there will be hunger in the land. The curfew and lockdown, once it is not being reinforced with a welfare package, it is going to be a social and political explosion that will completely batter the system and the nation and the incumbents in power in most countries in the world. This is a global challenge tasking our sense of humanity.
What should be the individual contribution to communal safety as the government appears clearly overwhelmed?
The government has to take the lead by setting up a volunteer group. As much as they have a medical team, people should volunteer to work and coordinate relief activities to homes. There should be vehicles available in delivering food to feed the neighbourhood and assisting the weaker persons. Now if you ask everyone to leave the street and only the police are on the streets, how can the problem be solved? People cannot stay in their houses when they have no food.
Are you saying the citizens can only volunteer if the government permits them and invites them to do that?