Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
As part of the way to ensure compliance with executive orders issued by Governor Kayode Fayemi outlawing gatherings of more than 20 persons in Ekiti State, a task force was, on Monday, inaugurated to enforce the directives to forestall the spread of the contagious disease.
It was also disclosed that 37 out of 42 persons suspected to have had direct contacts with the dead American that allegedly imported the disease to Ekiti, had been identified and put under solitary confinement.
Members of the committees include: 16 council chairmen, Nigeria Army, Department of State Services, Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, market men and women, Ekiti State environmental inspectors and other ethnic nationalities.
Inaugurating the committee, Fayemi, represented by the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Gbenga Agbeyo, said the government was not particularly happy about the way the order banning Congregation of more than 20 people was being defied.
Terms of reference to be executed, according to the governor are: “To ensure that all private and public schools in the state are closed, that there is no gathering of more than 20 persons anywhere in the state, that all public transport carries the required number of people and ensure that all market men and women practice hand washing in their shops.”
The governor charged the chairmen to prevail on the religious leaders in their councils to stop huge crowd while conducting their services.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade revealed that 37 persons, apart from the driver of the dead American, who had tested positive to COVID-19, are experiencing self isolation in Ekiti.
“Medical history had shown that people coming from highly endemic countries like China, England , Italy and America, were the ones importing the disease to Nigeria.
“In Italy, about 793 persons died in a day and 600 the subsequent day. Today, over 5,000 have died in that country. We pray this doesn’t happen in Ekiti and that is why we must take precautions.
“The governor as a way of containing the infection banned burials, weddings, political and family meetings, church services and other congregations that are more than 20, but sad enough some people are still flouting the order.
“Despite the way the disease had ravaged China and Italy, they are gradually overcoming, because their citizens are obeying all orders.
“It wasn’t that Governor Fayemi was autocratic by giving those orders, it was meant for our safety and we have to cooperate with him”, she advised.
