COVID-19 LOCKDOWN: Okowa Threatens To Go Tough On Defaulters
"There are three bank accounts that have been
opened for those who want to support our activities as a state concerning
Covid-19 and it is my prayer that as many that think the need to support the
less-privilege, please do make your contributions whether big or small”.
Following
poor compliance in some areas of the state, the Delta state Governor, Senator
Ifeanyi Okowa has threatened to apply stricter measures in order to checkmate
disobedience of the directives of the state government directives on the
lockdown in the state over the COVID-19 pandemic.
This,
according to the Governor become necessary following the reports from the Nigeria Centre for Disease
Control (NCDC) Tuesday confirming the recording of the first case of the virus in
the state.
In
a statewide broadcast on Wednesday in Asaba, the Delta state Governor commended
Deltans who had strictly adhered to the lockdown regulations from April 1,
2020, but warned that enabling laws would be applied on those disobeying the
directives of sit-at-home.
Okowa
expressed appreciation to all Deltans and non-Deltans in the state for their cooperation.
"We
are on Day 8 of the lockdown and I know that a lot of our people have been
cooperating with the directive of the governments”.
"Unfortunately,
a few persons have tended to disobey orders and I want to urge every Deltan
that from today onwards until the 14 days, to please, for the sake of everyone,
for the sake of humanity, obey the orders of government, otherwise, they will
be caught up by the arms of the law”.
"The
lockdown order was given because it was necessary; it is also lawful, because,
I have already signed into law a regulation which empowers us to take action
against those who would disobey the lockdown order”.
"I
want every Deltan to appreciate that it is for the good of the public; for all
Deltans who have cooperated with us, I have sent messages of encouragement; I
thank them."
The
governor announced that the State recorded its index case of the pandemic on
Tuesday, April 7, 2020, and that the patient has already, been moved into
one of the four management centres of the virus in the state”.
According
to him, the person in question has been in Delta for some weeks, so, he did not
just come in from another state during the course of the lockdown.
"At
the moment, we are doing our tracking; we are getting more information on the
case and when we have more information we would be able to communicate to the
state, but, it is the right of that person only to be able to publicly tell us
that he or she is infected” Okowa stated.
"It
is not for me to release the name; it is for me to pass information that needs
to be passed to Deltans but, the person did not come from another state, he has
been within the state in the last few weeks”.
The
Governor appealed to all Deltans to pray for the personnel of the State Health department
and support them to succeed.
"For
those of us that have been watching the television, we can see that a lot are
being done by other countries to encourage the health staff and there is a need
to support them and to pray for them at this moment when they are very likely
going to be overworked and exposed”.
"By
God’s grace, we are very prayerful and we hope that none of our health staff
will ever contract the virus."
"To
our health staff, I want to make a very special appeal; this is the time for
all health staff, particularly those trained and those that may be called up in
the future for training and support, to please show all commitment and passion
that is needed for the state and for all of us to win this battle”.
"For
the doubting Thomases, COVID-19 is real; it is not for the rich or the poor; it
could affect anybody and I will appreciate it if all Deltans would have this at
the back of their minds that anybody and everybody is vulnerable; both the old
and the young are vulnerable”.
"I
want to urge us all to continue to observe the rules that we have put forth; washing
of the hands regularly with soap and water. Moreover, when that is not
immediately available, use hand sanitizers, as it is important that we stress
the need for social distancing by trying as much as possible to be about 6 feet
apart from the next person”.
"We
must try to refrain from using our unwashed hands to touch the eyes or the mouth
or the nose because if your hand is already contaminated, it is an easy way of
getting the virus into your system”.
"For
those who have cough, please, stay at home and if you need to cough, cough into
your bended elbow and if you cannot do that, get a piece of tissue and cough
closing your mouth; that tissue must be immediately discarded and your hands
must be washed”.
"For
those who feel sick or having a fever or cough or you feel breathless or unable
to breathe, it is important that you do not hide yourself at home; call the
numbers we have released to each and every one of us and those numbers have
also been released to all our council chairmen”.
"The
numbers are 08031230480, 08031230481, 08031230528, and 08031230529; you can
call any of these four numbers and you will be directed on what to do”.
"And,
in the absence of those, call your local government council chairman who will
be able to direct you appropriately or call your councilor, who has been
instructed by the council chairman and they will also direct you on what to do”.
"You
may also call your doctor, but, we want to urge that for those who have the
symptoms, including fever, cough and breathlessness, as much as possible, it is
best to call these numbers or any of these persons”.
"If
you know the executive secretary of your local health authority in the council
or the disease surveillance officer, call them because, we do not want patients
just running in to every private clinic or medicine shop who may not be able to
manage you or know exactly what to do", he added.
The
governor urged private clinics, to contact government officials, including the
Commissioner of Health and Local Government Chairmen, the Disease Surveillance
Officer or the Executive Secretary in charge of the local health authorities
when anyone with the symptoms reached them.
According
to him, there is a process for management and there is a process for
notification and it is actually unlawful for any private hospital or public
hospital to have a case or a case that looks like that of Covid-19 and decide
to probably keep quiet over it or to hide it.
"You
must communicate to the appropriate authorities", he stated.
Okowa
advised the people to use facemasks, saying "yes, a lot of argument have
been going on about this, but there is also a lot of support from the various
countries that have had several cases of the Covid-19.
"In
the course of management, these countries have found that the use of facemasks
would likely limit the transmission and reduce the transmission chain.
"In
Delta, we are already in the process of producing facemask for our people and
when produced in the next few days, we would progress to distribute to our
people, free of charge.
"We
have also started a food bank, and by the grace of God, in the next few days
when we have been able to get enough, we would be moving the food to support
our people in the various villages, towns and wards of the state.
"We
want to thank all Deltans that have made contributions; thus far.
"There
are three bank accounts that have been opened for those who want to support our
activities as a state concerning Covid-19 and it is my prayer that as many that
think the need to support the less-privilege, please do make your contributions
whether big or small.
"I
must truly thank our people who have made a lot of commitment and those who
have already fulfilled their commitments; a lot of Deltans have made donations
and very soon, we would be publishing the names of all those who have supported
us in the course of raising the food bank."
He
said that the pandemic was not a "death sentence" but cautioned that
such did not mean that it should be taken carelessly.
The
governor also called on the peopleant to stop all forms of rumour mongering
about the pandemic, especially in the social media.
He
said it was unfair to say things when we knew that they were not true.
According
to Okowa, there has been a lot of insinuation concerning the fact that a member
of the House of Assembly of Delta has contracted this infection; that is not
true.
"No
member of the House of Assembly has contracted Covid-19; it is important that I
put the records right, but whosoever that contracts it, it is not a death
sentence neither should any person be stigmatized in any form.
"All
we owe such persons is to pray for them for speedy recovery.
"As
at today, we have four management centers and each of the centers also has its
isolation wards; we have holding centers in several other places where persons
who are initially suspected to have contracted the virus can be kept.
"The
centres are at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, built by the state, the
Central Hospital, Asaba, Oghara Teaching Hospital, and the Warri Central
Hospital.
"All
those that need to be trained - doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists,
drivers, cleaners and all other persons that would be needed in the case
management, including pharmacists, have been trained and if the need arises, we
will train more persons.
No comments:
Drop Comment