COVID-19: Abiodun Raises Relaxation Windows To 10 Hours
By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA
Sensing the economic implications of continuous lockdown of residents due to Coronavirus pandemic, Ogun State Government has increased the relaxation windows by another three hours in order to ease their sufferings.
The initial relaxation windows as approved by the state government were on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday while the time frame for those days was from 7am to 2pm.
With this new development, residents are expected to make use of the opportunity to engage in their various businesses and have adequate time to return home before the commencement of the curfew imposed by the Federal Government between the hour of 8pm and 6am.
Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun broke this news on Friday, May 1st, 2020 while relating the update on Coronavirus situation in the state.
The governor stressed that in line with Mr. President’s address to the entire nation, the lockdown is still in place, but would be relaxed gradually and in phases from Monday, 4th May, in consideration of the peculiarity of the different states.
He stated: “To this end, our relaxation window remains Monday, 4th May; Wednesday, 6th May; and Friday, 8th May. The new time frame will, however, now be from 7am to 5pm on those days.
“This will give our people ample time to conduct necessary economic activities and to get to their various homes before the commencement of the daily curfew as directed by Mr. President. For the avoidance of doubt, the curfew is from 8pm to 6am everyday and will be strictly enforced.”
In the same vein, he restated that as announced last week, the use of face mask is now compulsory in public, having procured over one million face masks that would be distributed across the state to groups such as market women, artisans, transport unions, law enforcement agencies, civil servants and religious groups among others.
“Nevertheless everybody has a personal responsibility to procure and wear a face mask. Also, the COVID-19 task force at a meeting with market leaders set up COVID-19 enforcement committees in our various markets.
“These enforcement committees have been empowered to enforce physical distancing, the use of face masks and the deployment of hand washing facilities and hand sanitizers at strategic locations within our various markets.
“Let me emphasize that those handling food items must also wear hand gloves and maintain high level of personal and hand hygiene in addition to wearing face masks,” he enjoined.
Moreover, Abiodun further explained that at another meeting with transport operators, a joint task force of transporters and security agencies were inaugurated to ensure that transporters and passengers wear face masks and enforce the strict compliance of no interstate travel, except vehicles on essential services.
He said: “Even for such vehicles, there is a ceiling of a maximum of five persons which includes the driver. All these persons must provide proof of their connection with the vehicle and the particular service the vehicle provides.
“Let me state, with all sense of seriousness that we will not condone any act that could sabotage the ban on interstate travel by any of these vehicles or persons on essential services. For avoidance of doubt, there will be no interstate travels whatsoever for persons living in Ogun State and working in other states, including Lagos.
“For intra-state transport, operators are permitted to carry a maximum of half (50%) of the passenger capacity. Specifically, a taxi cab can carry only three passengers, with one in front and a maximum of two in the rear seat.
“14 seater buses must carry no more than 7 passengers spread across the rows. Tricycle can carry a maximum of 2 passengers, whilst okada riders can carry only one passenger at a time.
“In all cases, drivers/riders must not only wear face masks, they must ensure that their passengers also wear. Failure to comply with these guidelines will lead to the confiscation of the vehicles or okada.”
