COVID-19: Ebonyi Govt Directs Total Lockdown Of State

The Ebonyi State Security Council, presided over by Governor Dave Umahi, on Saturday, directed full lockdown of communities and villages in the state.

The council also directed that all borders, entry and exit points be closed,while movements for those on essential services have also been restricted with effect from today, 18th April, 2020.

A statement issued by commissioner for information and state orientation, Orji Uchenna Orji, said, CCTV shall be mounted at all the borders and connected to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Central Monitoring Smart Phones of the Central Committee members.

The statement said, the security council also resolved that all government officials at the local government areas, including technical assistants, senior technical assistants and executive assistants are to immediately move to the borders and exit points of their areas.

According to the statement, each border shall have 7 blockages manned by separate teams and at a distance that woulf be determined by the Deputy Governor: Army, Police, Other Security Agencies, Neighbourhood Watch, CAN, Council Chairmen/Coordinators and their team and, town union/traditional rulers.

It added that posting of security agencies to the borders shall be rotated per week.

“Bribery in all borders is outlawed. Both the giver and the receiver shall be arrested and charged according to Ebonyi State COVID-19 Laws,” the statement reads briefly.

“Henceforth, all Council Chairmen and Councilors whose border areas are porous shall be suspended. All appointees whose borders are leaking shall be removed from office.

“Very soon, palliatives shall be distributed and shall be on polling unit by polling unit basis, through the government functionaries from the various polling units.

“Conditional Cash Transfer list shall be compiled without consideration to political party affiliations.

“Disbursement of State Government interventions for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and Agricultural programmes are suspended.

“Members of the public are to cooperate with the Council Chairmen in their efforts to compile the list of beneficiaries for Conditional Cash Transfer and other Central Bank of Nigeria Agricultural Interventions. People are encouraged to participate in the 5-Star Cassava and Rice Programmes of the Federal Government.

“Party activities and meetings are suspended for now.

“False Information/Fake news on COVID-19 pandemic and Related Matters shall be sanctioned according to Ebonyi State Coronavirus and other Dangerous (Infectious) Diseases and Related Matters Law No 005, 2020.

“Ban on use of motorcycles in Ebonyi State is still in force. Only Health Workers and others on essential services like the press and security are exempted provided that they have a pass duly certified by relevant authorities. Ban on Religious gatherings including Sundays and other social gatherings are still in force.

“The State Government shall embark on COVID-19 House to House testing exercise for the next two weeks targeting at the returnees, sick persons etc. We are to test not less than 2000 households within the next Two weeks.

“Members of the public are enjoined to take snapshots of those found violating the Laws on Coronavirus or giving bribes at the borders and send same to the Covid-19 whatsapp platform. Service Chiefs are to be at the borders to ensure enforcement of the regulations.

“Government emphasizes the need for every Ebonyian outside the State to stay where they are, until the battle against COVID-19 is won.

“No corpse shall be received again by Mortuaries, except those that died in the hospitals in which case, causation of death must be established and permission to bury shall be sought accordingly. Those who died in their homes must be buried on the spot without any gathering.

“Everybody coming outside his or her house must wear his or her face mask. The Governor has ordered for additional 600,000 face masks to be distributed to members of the public,” it stated.

Furthermore, the statement ,noted that there shall be daily briefings to the public on COVID-19 updates as follows:

“GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL DAYS REMARKS

“Deputy Governor Mondays, Tuesdays and Sundays

“Governor with Health Commissioner and CMD AE-FETHA – Wednesdays Security Council Meeting

“Service Chiefs – Thursday

“Chairmen of Council – Fridays

“Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly (EBHA Saturdays To brief on palliatives).”

Also, the statement continued, coronavirus courts shall be established in the 13 LGAs and additional one at the capital city.

“Slogan: COVID-19, Let’s prepare for the worst and pray for the best,” it concluded.

The emergency security council meeting had in attendance, the state security council members, council chairmen, leaders of the development centre Coordinators’ forum, the members of the State COVID-19 central committee.