…837 violators convicted
Plateau state governor, Simon Lalong has said that “the total lockdown has been extended to midnight of Thursday 23rd April 2020 to meet the medically stipulated quarantine period of 14 days”.
In a state address on Wednesday marking the end of the one-week lockdown, Lalong said 837 violators were tried and those convicted were made to pay fines while others were subjected to community service.
The governor, however, expressed his “displeasure on the reported cases of assault on some enforcement officials carrying out legitimate duties. Such acts will not be tolerated and those found guilty will be punished”, he stated
“We were able to successfully decontaminate the entire State beginning with the flag off in Jos-Bukuru Metropolis on the 10th of April.
“We have investigated 99 cases and currently isolated 23 persons who are being observed because they came in from other states with confirmed cases of the disease. Of the 23 persons isolated, none has so far shown any symptoms”, he added.
Lalong also revealed that a “Testing Centre for Plateau State earlier envisaged has finally come to fruition, as the Bio-Safety Level 3 Grade 1 Laboratory at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom, has been equipped and certified by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to begin outright test for COVID-19…
This centre, which can test over one thousand samples per day, will assist us to test more people and serve other neighbouring State”.
Gov. Lalong also talked about the issue of palliatives.
“These palliatives, which will in due course also be complemented by the Federal Government, are strictly for the needy. Already, about sixty-one thousand, six hundred and sixteen (61,616) beneficiaries of the National Social Investment Programme under the N-Power, Poorest of the Poor and School Feeding Programme have been receiving their stipends based on President Buhari’s directive…These are not people that should be looking forward to any other palliatives because they are already being taken care of. Similarly, workers who are receiving salaries as and when due should not expect to partake from the palliatives. Let us consider the truly vulnerable ones at this period”.
Lalong, however, said that lessons have been learnt from the one-week lockdown but that we cannot “quarantine hunger”.
“Beginning from 11 pm tonight, Wednesday 15th April 2020, to midnight of Sunday 19th April 2020, the total lockdown will be relaxed to enable people to go out to restock their homes.
By implication, the earlier restriction before the total lockdown remains” he stated.
“Farmers, particularly in the rural areas are exempted from the restrictions, as they are required to go to their farms now that the rains have started. However, they are to observe all guidelines for social distancing and hygiene”, he added.
The governor also commiserated with the family of one of the staff of ASTC, Mr. Fwangan Charles Gugin who died in a road traffic accident in the cause of decontamination duty.
