In a bid to combat the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus pandemic, Indigenes and residents of Udu local government area, Delta state, have been warned to adhere strictly to preventive measures.
Chairman of the council, Chief Jite Brown, told residents to ensure strict compliance with necessary safety measures, particularly wearing of face masks or risk been sanctioned.
Chief Brown, identified market places, churches, mosques, hotels, banks, motor parks, government and private offices and commercial vehicles, especially tricycle operators, popularly known as Keke, operating within the area, as major target of the monitoring exercise.
In a statement issued Tuesday and made available to newsmen, the Council boss disclosed that his health officials would henceforth be working with security agents to ensure that the defaulters would be made to face the consequences of their actions.
Chief Brown who stated that the directive had become imperative to check further spread of the pandemic at the grassroots and riverine settlements, noted that the action was in line with the ‘Reinforcements of local government area COVID-19 Taskforce’, as directed by Association of Local Governments Of Nigeria (ALCON) in its recent meeting.
According to him: “Some of the far reaching decisions made by ALCON included; Preventive measures that must be adhered to by public institutions include provision of hand sanitizers, soap and running water as well as temperature checks at every entrance of the aforesaid institutions.
“Individuals and organizations should comply with the social/physical distancing advisory.
“We are to emphasized that face masks and shields is mandatory for all residents in public places, while curfew remains from 7.00pm – 6.00am, except for Medical Personnel on Call or Emergency Duties.
“Church services are to be held in tranches for a period of 2-hours each (8am – 10am at the first instance) while adhering to the directive/advisories in No. 2, 3 & 4.
“Mosques prayers should not exceed 2-hours while heeding to the advisories on No. 2, 3 & 4.
“Markets are to operate from Mondays to Fridays from the period of 8am to 4pm while insisting on strict use of face mask/shields in all markets. A declaration that life band in hotels and public places remain prohibited.
“Restaurants, eateries and canteens operating in our respective local government, are to operate on takeaway basis, while hotels will be allowed to open with in – room dinning only.
“We are to task our people to abide by the maximum of 50 persons allowed by the state government to attend marriage and burial ceremonies, while insisting that burial of corpses from other parts of the country must be done the same day they arrive the local government area.
“We are to stressed that commercial bus, taxi, boat and tricycle operators, will only be permitted to operate with highly reduced number of passengers of two (2) per row, in line with the state government’s directive. Okada riders to convey only one passenger, please”, he stressed.
