Covid-19: Plateau State lifts lockdown
The Plateau State Government in North Central Nigeria has lifted the lockdown earlier imposed in the State until further notice.
Governor of the State Simon Lalong who disclosed this during a press briefing in Jos the State Capital, said the decision was taken based on the outcome of a two day community stakeholders engagement which was held on the 8th and 9th of June, 2020 following the recent guidelines by the Presidential Task Force on the gradual easing up of the Lockdown and subsequent calls for State to take ownership of the process.
The Guidelines
Based on the guidelines from the stakeholders engagement, the following decision was taken.
i. The Lockdown earlier imposed in the State from Sundays to Wednesdays is hereby lifted until further notice.
ii. The curfew imposed by the Federal Government from 10pm – 6am will continue to be observed until further directives are issued.
iii. There shall be no entry whatsoever, into public offices, banks, markets, stores, tricycles and vehicles without wearing facemasks. Violators of this order will be arrested and taken before the mobile courts.
iv. Cultural festivals, anniversaries and large-scale gatherings remain banned.
v. Ban on commercial motorcycles will remain in force, except Dispatch Riders and other essential service operators.
vi. The ban on illegal Sunday markets on Ahmadu Bello Way, and Bukuru Metropolis remains in force.
vii. Churches and Mosques with large spaces shall be allowed to accommodate more than 50 worshippers under strict observance of the use of facemasks, social distancing, hand washing, use of infrared thermometers and use of sanitizers.
viii. While detail outlines on compliance shall be provided, let me emphasized that all public places like Markets, Shops, Hotels, Restaurants that fail to comply with the hygiene or sanitation regulations, social distancing as well as use of facemasks shall be penalized and where appropriate, bear any cost or penalty as would be specified.
ix. All public places like Markets, Shops, Hotels, and Restaurants that fail to comply with the hygiene or sanitation regulations, social distancing as well as use of facemasks shall be shut down and the owners prosecuted.
x. The Head of Civil Service has been directed to work out modalities for the resumption of other category of civil servants who have been working from home.
xi. While the Lockdown is relaxed within the State, inter-state borders shall remain closed with greater enforcement.
xii. All Schools are to remain closed.
xiii. As we ease the lockdown, citizens are strongly advised to participate in mass community testing which will be carried out in the State to avoid further spread of the virus.
Governor Lalong while commending citizens of the State for their compliance during the period of the lockdown also reminded them that the responsibility for staying safe and avoiding Covid-19 infection or spreading is now in the hands of everyone.
The Governor also spoke on the issue of palliatives which has generated attention and has equally been a source of misinformation