We are paid to stay at home with our family – Nigerians in Singapore speaks on lockdown amid coronavirus epidemic

One way the Singaporean government is fighting COVID-19, also called coronavirus, is ensuring that the people in the country are granted a paid leave to be with their family during the lockdown.

The Nigerians in the Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Singapore chapter, confirmed this on Wednesday, April 15.

NIDO also said that no Nigerian in that country had tested positive for the coronavirus.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes vice president of the organisation, Jonathan Obaje, as making the disclosure in a phone interview.

According to the report, Obaje was speaking against the backdrop of how Nigerians abroad were coping under the pressure of global lockdown since the outbreak of the virus in China.

He said: “So far, no Nigerian in Singapore has tested positive for the coronavirus. We keep in touch with each other through NIDO Singapore social media groups.

“Certainly, the lockdown has created opportunities and challenges. Nobody ever imagined that Singapore’s fast-paced, 24-hour bustling city, airport, and seaports could ever slow down for few hours, ever.

“It is almost unbelievable that we could have four weeks of paid leave to stay at home with family. Also, to do those things we have always wanted to do, but had no time to do, such as call friends, read books, watch programmes, and so on, it is unbelievable.”

He added that since nobody planned for the occurrence, the best way to curb boredom is to engage in meaningful ventures while the lockdown continues.

He disclosed that Nigerians in Singapore have taken advantage of the situation to learn new things so as to improve their wellbeing and better their lives in spite of the economic challenges.