COVID-19: Ekiti Threatens To Return Total Lockdown

The Ekiti State government has threatened to return total lockdown in the state following perceived lackadaisical attitudes being exhibited towards the preventive guidelines stipulated by health authorities to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Governor Kayode Fayemi had during his May 31st broadcast relaxed the lockdown and allow movements and economic activities from Monday to Friday.

The State government said it would have no option than to return to lockdown season if the current recalcitrant attitude of not obeying interstate ban, social and physical distancing, mandatory use of face masks and hand sanitizers, as well as other protocols, should persist.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr Muyiwa Olumilua, who spoke with journalists in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Tuesday said the Governor of the State, Dr Kayode Fayemi was also disturbed by the porosity of Ekiti borders, which he said accounted for the upsurge in the number of COVID-19 active cases in the state.

The government had on Monday confirmed four new cases taking the number of active cases to nine in the state.

He said, “Governor Kayode Fayemi was not interested in inflicting hardship on Ekiti people and that was responsible for why he reopened economic activities between Monday and Friday.

“As of now, Ekiti has nine active cases and we are not happy with the ways social distancing, use of sanitizers, face masks and infrared thermometers were being disobeyed in public places.

“We are still maintaining that stand that banks, shops, shopping malls, eateries, market men and women must keep to all these guidelines to prevent community spread of COVID-19 in Ekiti.

“We are still at a stage where we have not had community spread because those who came to infect our people here came from outside the state.

“But should our people refuse to abide by the protocols, we will be left with no other option than to return total lockdown to avert community spread.”

On the reopening of schools, Olumilua said a committee comprising government’s delegates, Parents Teachers’ Association and proprietors of schools is being mulled by Governor Fayemi to interact and come up with recommendations that can facilitate the easy return of students to schools.

“We are not in a hurry to reopen schools, because we knew that we have to provide all necessary facilities like running water, sanitizers and infrared thermometers in all schools in order not to endanger the lives of our pupils.

“The committee will soon begin work and their recommendations will be implemented to help in this regard,” Olumilua stated.

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