Moses Ofodeme
The Lagos State Government has stated that its final decision on the possibility of another COVID-19 lockdown will not be based particularly on the outcome of the online public polls on the issue.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr Olusina Thorpe, said in a statement on Thursday, May 14; that government would consider other factors before deciding whether to impose another COVID-19 lockdown or not.
The state government, through three of its social media platforms, namely; Twitter: @followlasg, Facebook: Lagos State Government and Instagram: @lagosstategovt, on May 12, instituted a poll to determine the perspective of the public on the possibility of another lockdown of Lagos.
Thorpe said that the initiative was introduced as part of the inclusive strategy of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration to carry the masses along and entrench participatory governance.
He said that an analysis of the polls so far which showed that those for and those against another lockdown were neck and neck indicated the controversial nature of the issue.
”Yes, we agree that the decision of the government on another statewide lockdown should not be solely based on the outcome of the polls; but criticisms that had trailed the issue will make the government feel the pulse of the masses being governed.
”As evident on the three social media platforms; some of the online users voted in favour of another lockdown while some voted against it and a few others remain neutral.
”On our Facebook as on Thursday morning; those who voted against fresh lockdown are more than those who voted in favour of it. While on Twitter, the reverse was the case,” the Permanent Secretary said.
He noted that with the wide exposure of the masses to social media; the value of the online survey could not be undermined in the decision-making process.
He said that this was especially when such decision affected the populace; hence the need to also know what the masses felt about the issue of the lockdown.