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Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa on Tuesday, extended the lockdown of the state for another two weeks to curtail the spread of Coronavirus disease in the state.
Okowa further imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on the state in the next two weeks because of perceived cases of disobedience by some beer parlour operators who opened for businesses at night while the initial lockdown of April 1 to 14 lasted.
He however thanked residents of the state for the level of compliance in the last 14 days, explaining that the extension and stiffer action of curfew were inevitable to safeguard the health of the people.
The governor spoke in Asaba during a state broadcast on the global pandemic.
As at the time of filing this report, three cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the state with one death among the cases.
As a result, Okowa disclosed that 70 contacts have been identified with 46 of them reached so far, adding that efforts have been intensified to reach the other 24.
“We believe that in the next 2 weeks, we would be able to track all contacts, identify all possible cases and be able to take the needed actions and then we would be able to use this next opportunity to also produce enough quantity of face asks for our people.
“It is our hope that we would be able to return to duty thereafter praying to God that the cases in Nigeria will not escalate above what we have at the moment,” the governor said.
According to him, the dusk to dawn curfew is to stop those who move around and open businesses in the evenings when enforcement agents have slowed down, from escalating the viral infection in the state, warning that nobody, except those on essential duties, is expected to be to seen between 7pm and 7am with effect from April 15.
He said the state government will mass produce face masks made with cloth, and will be distributed free of charge to residents.
On the food bank, Okowa assured that distribution of food to those without access to the basic necessity will start within the next 72 hours across all political wards of the state, adding that the food will be shared across political party lines.
He said market for foodstuffs and essential items will be opened on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays in primary and secondary schools across the state and also at the discretion of the local government chairman in open spaces within communities, adding however that those going to be markets must use face masks.
“We believe that in the next two weeks, we would have essentially been able to track as many persons who have either been infected or the contacts of such persons to be able to sieve them out of the society and prayerfully we hope that after the next two weeks, we may be able to return to work, God willing,” Okowa added.
