How Ogun People Forced Gov. Abiodun To Extend Lockdown By Another 8 Days
By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA
For the third time in a row, Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has extended the lockdown order by another eight days due to residents attitudinal approaches in carrying out their business activities during the relaxation windows.
Daily Dispatch recalls that governor Abiodun had extended the lockdown for a week on two occasions which could have lasted today (Saturday), but last night extended it by another eight days as against the usual one week, this will now last till Sunday, May 24th, 2020.
Governor Abiodun hereby exonerated his administration, but faulted Ogun residents for the decision, saying that the extension became necessary to safeguard their health as well as stopping the spread of the coronavirus pandemic across the state.
The governor narrated this on Friday, May 15th, 2020 at his office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, while briefing newsmen about the activities of his administration to curb further spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
The embittered Abiodun in his address recalled last week how his administration commenced the gradual easing of their modified lockdown by extending relaxation hours between 7am – 2pm, and to 7am –5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
“This allowed for conduct of essential business activities and has been acclaimed to have positive psychological benefits. We continue to work with statistical data and feedback from the field and endeavor to strike a balance between the health of our people and these restrictions.
“Some residents still come out in the public without the use of facemasks or use the facemasks in a manner that do not shield their mouths and noses accordingly.
“Our markets have also not fully compiled with physical distancing and other measures to ensure the markets do not become the COVID-19 transmission centers.
“Consequently, in view of the evidence of community transmission and poor compliance with the lockdown measures, we are constrained to extend the lockdown for another week till Sunday 24th of May. The current pattern of lockdown, with relaxation windows from 7.00am to 5.00pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday continues.
“We will continue to monitor the level of compliance with the lockdown measures and incidence of community transmission and hopefully, there will be positive developments that will enable us further ease the lockdown at the end of this new lockdown period.
“We must also bear in mind that the daily curfew from 8pm to 6am and the ban on non-essential interstate travel as directed by Mr. President still stands.
“Interestingly, the feedback from the people of Ogun State, from the public opinion poll hosted on the twitter, also support the extension of the lockdown. out of about 6,000 respondents of the online poll, 53% support the continuation of the lockdown whilst 43% want a review with 4% undecided.
“Ideally, compliance should be seen as a moral responsibility and civic duty. Let me state that we will not tolerate any form of sabotage in our approach and efforts at flattening the curve of COVID-19 in our dear Ogun State.
“We will not tolerate any act of smuggling of people, either indigenes or non-indigenes in to our dear Ogun State. Anybody found contravening this restriction will be immediately prosecuted.
“My dear people of Ogun State, let me reassure you all that your government will continue to do what is right for the general good of all the people of our dear State. But I must also state that, at this time, survival is also a personal responsibility.
“We must join hands to flatten the curved of COVID-19 in our dear Ogun State. As we continue to help ourselves, we must also help one another and help our Government.
“Let me also state that we appreciate the need to continue to mitigate the effects of the lockdown on the people of our dear Ogun State. We have continued to do this through the distribution of our palliative materials.”
