Governor Akeredolu.
Toluwalope Jombo – Akure
To contain the spike in spread of COVID-19 in Ondo state, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Ondo state council has advised Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to lockdown the state for 14 days.
This was made known in a press statement signed by the state chairman of the Union, Comrade Adetona Aderoboye and the State Secretary, Comrade Leke Adegbite.
The Union said the increase in COVID-19 pandemic in the state is alarming and should be addressed as such.
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“The Union therefore calls on the state government to consider the option of declaring a 7days or 14days lockdown to urgently stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic at a disturbing rate. This measure will enable the government to carry out effective contacts tracing and deploy more combative efforts both from the state and federal governments.”
“NUJ is concerned that the state Health facilities have been overstretched by the pandemic, no doubt the state is in health crisis, even as we pray God to grant our State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and other COVID-19 patients quickest recovery.”
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The Union commiserate with the family, people and government of Ondo state over the sudden death of the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro, who also chaired the state task force on COVID-19 until his death.
The NUJ said preliminary findings from its members who were on the field show that the state government was well on top of the situation of fighting the disease until three weeks ago when the government ordered the reopening of religious centres, stressing that poor enforcement of 7pm to 7am curfew as well as total violation of precautionary measures at all markets, hotels, relaxation centres in the state without penalties against defaulters are other factors.
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“The Union also observed that despite the State government’s commendable distribution of nose masks to reasonable number of people in the state, the compulsory use of same was unfortunately not enforced at public places”
The Union appealed to the Presidential Committee on COVID-19 and NCDC to deploy necessary resources to Ondo state like it helped in Kano and Lagos states” he said
The pen pushers advised members of the public to obey various COVID-19 precautionary measures.
The Union pleaded with striking doctors and the state government to immediately reach a compromise on disputing matters to facilitate effective treatment of COVID-19 patients.
 Ondo state council has advised Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to lockdown the state for 14 days.){kind=link}