The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has again extended the mandate of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 which expired on Wednesday.

The President had established the PTF, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, on March 9, 2020, to coordinate the government’s efforts to contain the spread and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

On December 22, 2020 Buhari extended the mandate of the PTF till the end of March 2021.

The extension, which was based on the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, was announced during a meeting the President had with members of the PTF.

Buhari had said, “I am extending the mandate of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 till the end of March 2021, bearing in mind the new surge in the number of cases, and the bid for vaccines.

“Nigeria cannot afford to lose the gains of the last nine months. I have critically evaluated the situation and remain convinced that urgent measures have to be taken to halt the spread of the Coronavirus and the attendant fatalities.

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“There is also the need to speedily and strategically access and administer the COVID vaccine in a safe, effective and timely manner. This is an important obligation that we owe Nigerians as we go into year 2021, and it must be carried out through an efficient machinery.”

On Wednesday when the extension expired, our correspondent contacted the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on the telephone.

The Presidential aide said despite the expiration of the last extension, the PTF was still in place.

Shehu said, “I can confirm to you that the PTF is still in place. So are all the non-pharmaceutical measures put in place to curtail the spread of the virus still in place.

“Nigerians will be addressed on the next steps after the Easter holiday.”

A competent source in the Presidency, who did not want his name mentioned, had earlier told our correspondent that Buhari might further extend the mandate of the task force “to enable it to continue coordinating ongoing vaccination and take delivery of other batches being expected.”