Apparently propelled by the resolution to effectively contain spread of Coronavirus within the state, Ogun state government has invested in a local production of face masks which will be distributed to people who offer essential services within the state.
The production of face masks, according to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state, is to ensure that adequate face masks are available for distribution to those that offer essential services in the state before enforcement of compulsory usage of face masks in public places.
Consequently, Governor Abiodun declared that State government had engaged some local manufacturers of face masks which would be distributed for essential services providers such as market women, drivers, journalists, security operatives in addition to the clinical task masks being given to the health workers.
Speaking at a press briefing held at his Iperu-Remo private residence on Friday night, Governor Dapo Abiodun noted that all efforts were being driven towards curtailing the spread Coronavirus which must be sustained by all the residents of the state.
“As a state, we have invested massively in local production of face masks,” he said, adding that the government had engaged manufacturers of face masks who would produce over one million face masks for the state very soon. “We want to ensure that those that offer essential services wear face masks to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in Ogun state and Nigeria at large,” he explained.
“We are planning to enforce the use of face masks but we can’t begin when we have not provided face masks for those that render essential services such as market women and men, drivers, security agents, journalists and others. After we take the delivery of over one million face masks we are doing, it will become a law that must be obeyed.”
Speaking on other measures being taken into consideration, the governor said: “On our part, we will continue to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of all the people of Ogun State and those who have made our dear State their home. This period of COVID-19 will not be an exemption. We are spending judiciously to ensure that coronavirus does not spread into the communities.
“To this effect, we have just installed the first State fully-funded Molecular Lab in the country. This laboratory at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, is awaiting the accreditation of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for it to commence full operation. A second Molecular laboratory, donated to the state, will arrive next week.
“In addition to that, our Administration has also finalized arrangements for the deployment of drive-through testing facilities across the State, particularly around the vulnerable areas such as our border communities with other states to stem community transmission into Ogun State.
He said this will significantly boost Ogun’s efforts to test individuals with suspected symptoms and ensure that we have one-day return of test results for anyone suspected of having COVID-19 symptoms in the State.
“As your Governor, I owe you the responsibility to provide additional information and clarifications, especially as it concerns the additional 14-day lockdown as announced by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in his nationwide broadcast.
“This must have been a painful but needful decision from Mr. President. My dear fellow citizens of our Ogun State, we appreciate the serious health need to curb the spread of the virus and prevent those who have not contracted the virus from contracting it.
He noted however that there is also the important need to strike a delicate balance between public safety and welfare of the citizenry. In this regard, he announced that Ogun State residents would have a window of relaxation from the renewed 14-day lockdown in the State on Monday (20th April), Wednesday (22nd April) and Friday (24th April, 2020).
“The period of relaxation will be between the hours of 7am and 2pm on each of these days. This means that citizens are expected to remain indoors tomorrow Saturday, April 18, 2020; Sunday, April 19, 2020; Tuesday, April 21, 2020 and Thursday, April 23rd, 2020 as period of the lockdown.
“Let me also re-emphasise that while the window of relaxation is being observed, all interstate and international borders of our dear State will remain closed. As usual, all personnel on essential services will be given access to perform their duties. This window of relaxation of the lockdown will be reviewed from time to time,” the governor said
