COVID-19 pandemic is killing businesses globally –Ngonadi

How has the CONVID-19 pandemic impacted on businesses in the South East?

Business can only thrive on two major factors, namely health and security. It is only  the healthy and living person that can do business. And it is only when the environment is properly secured that the healthy and living can do business. When you look at the situation in the world today , not Nigeria, in as much as we are talking about  South East, you will see a serious threat to health and businesses. What is affecting the South East now is affecting Nigeria and the whole world. Even the world powers – America, Uk, China- are under the grip of COVID- 19 and nothing, businesses are being stagnated. Even as I am talking to you now, you cannot send courier service to Nigeria because the entire spaces of the country are shutdown. The borders are closed, everything is shutdown, movement is restricted, some government offices are running on skeletal measures. It is now seat -down –at- home and work from your home. And when there is no movement, there would be no business thriving. And you may know it is only those on essential duties,-doctors, nurses, police, the press, fire service among others- that are now allowed to move about. With this order business is totally shut. There is no business going on now. When I say business, I mean any legitimate economic endeavor by which the individual earns his living.

The Private sector whose advocate we are, are the worst hit. As I am talking to you now, the interest on money borrowed by some businessmen in the private sector is running while there is no business going on to raise money to back the loans. So a lot of businessmen have incurred a lot of loss in their business over this pandemic. Business has been negatively affected.

What preventive, precautionary measures has your company taken to effect control on spread of the coronavirus in your factory and other business outlet?

The coronavirus is a deadly thing that respects nobody. So everybody should play a positive role in controlling the spread of the virus. Good a thing, all the countries of the world have taken positive measures to control the COVID- 19 pandemic. But let me tell you, the greatest measure anybody could take against any problem is God.

However on our own part we have made sure that both our staff and visitors to our factory are sanitized according to government instruction. At the entrance to our factory we have provided sanitized water and hand sanitizers. It is mandatory for the security at the entrance to ensure the visitor washes his hands with the sanitized water for 20 seconds and after that apply the hand sanitizer to his hands before entering our premises.

What is your expectation?

We expect that this challenge ends soon and business return to normality.

We expect that every country should copy the example of America in this matter. When this pandemic began, it was only America under President Trump that called for prayers to overcome the virus. I am a Christian. In the Holy Bible when something of this nature occurs the Children of God cry unto God for help and God answered them. God said if my people who are called by name will humble themselves and pray,  I will listen.

What is your advice to Nigerians over the COVID -19 issue ?

Let us obey our leaders’ instructions over the matter. Let us obey the government. In the Book of Hebrews Chapter 13 verse17 we are advised to obey our leaders. Our leaders are worried over this pandemic. Our president, Muhammadu Buhari, is worried. Our governors are worried. Leaders all over the world are worried. Whatever instruction they gave over this coronavirus, let us obey them. Let us also join hands to pray to God to remove this coronavirus from our midst.

How would you rate government effort at containing the spread of the coronavirus in the country? Do you thing government has done enough?

The effort of the Federal and state governments aimed at controlling the spread of the coronavirus at present is commendable. Some state governments have provided isolation centers. Some COVID-19 patients have been cured. This is good. Government should continue to work hard to control the spread of the virus.