The Governor of Cross River State, BEN AYADE, has urged government at all levels to not just protect lives, but also livelihoods, as it fights the COVID-19 pandemic.

AYADE warned that protecting lives without protecting livelihoods of Nigerians will spell doom for the nation after COVID-19 as hunger will be the next deadly virus.

He noted that globally, hunger and hunger-related diseases like kwashiorkor and tuberculosis kill about 8.4 million people every year and so there is more pandemic when it comes to hunger.

According to the governor, this reality was the reason behind his opposition to a total lockdown and his support for wearing of masks and the observance of personal hygiene.