By M. Peter – Jos.
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has directed all markets in the State to close with effect from Wednesday, the 25th of March 2020, adding that “only traders selling food items, pharmaceuticals and cooking gas are to remain open.”
In addition, all street trading, hawking, begging are prohibited, the weekly Sunday markets at Ahmadu Bello Way, Bukuru and environs are also banned.
Equally banned are social joints, nightclubs, drinking parlours while restaurants are advised to prepare take away for their customers to avoid crowding.
This is even as the State Commissioner of Police, Isaac Akinmoyede has warned officers and men of the command against unnecessary arrest and detention of suspects in Police stations across the state.
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The Governor, in a broadcast on Tuesday announced that to ensure total compliance, he would lead a Task Force on enforcement.
“Government has set up a Task Force on Enforcement and Monitoring, which will be personally chaired by me to coordinate, evaluate and review developments on the disease in the State. The Task Force will also give updates to citizens from time to time.”
He said his administration is proactive in responding to the pandemic and is liaising closely with the federal government and relevant stakeholders to tackle the disease.
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“You will recall that when we received information about some Chinese nationals who arrived Wase Local Government Area after the outbreak of the disease in their country, I immediately directed the Commissioner of Health to deploy experts to investigate.”
“Fortunately, the results came out negative after their period of quarantine and observation, leaving the State with no case of Corona Virus disease to this day. We have continued our surveillance to ensure that any suspected case is identified and addressed appropriately.”
He said the state government has activated Public Health Emergency Operation Centre to enhance monitoring capacity and ability to receive up-to-date information from all the 17 Local government areas.
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With more cases recorded in Nigeria and based on advice of experts, I directed the closure of all schools from pre-primary to tertiary level in the State from Saturday 21st March 2020.
“We also directed that all funerals, weddings and other social events should have only family members and relations not exceeding 50 people in attendance, while cultural festivals and anniversaries were suspended until further notice.
All these precautionary measures were aimed at safeguarding the possible occurrence of the disease in the State. Government appreciates responsible citizens who complied with the directives and commend their sense of duty and patriotism.”
Speaking further he stressed, “With effect from Wednesday 25th March 2020, all public servants in Plateau State from Grade levels 12 and below are to work from home for the next 30 days. Only workers offering essential services such as security, health, media, street cleaners and water supply and energy are exempted from this directive.
“In view of the crowds associated with markets, government is directing all markets to close effective 25th March 2020. Only traders selling food items, pharmaceuticals and cooking gas are to remain open. In addition, all street trading, street hawking, and begging are prohibited. The weekly Sunday markets at Ahmadu Bello Way, Bukuru and environs are hereby banned.
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“Social joints, Nightclubs, drinking parlours are to also close effective Wednesday 25th March 2020, while restaurants are advised to prepare take away for their customers to avoid crowding.
“Motor parks are to capture and keep data including contacts of all inbound and outbound passengers as well as adhere strictly to social distancing and mass gathering prohibition order as well as hygiene regulations. Henceforth, all entry points into Plateau State by land and air will be subjected to preliminary tests. The weekly State Executive Council Meetings are hereby suspended indefinitely. However, Council will continue to consult and meet through digital means.
“I have directed security agencies to begin enforcement and anyone found violating these orders should be arrested. Should the situation continue this way, we shall not hesitate to impose a complete lockdown in order to save the lives of our people. To ensure total compliance, Government has set up a Task Force on Enforcement and Monitoring, which will be personally chaired by me to coordinate, evaluate and review developments on the disease in the State. The Task Force will also give updates to citizens from time to time.”
However, government is setting up three additional isolation centres in the old JUTH, Pankshin and Shendam General Hospitals.
Meanwhile, the CP enjoined citizens of the state to “voluntarily adhere to the order,” and also directed that all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Head of Departments (HODs) should, “ensure that all legitimate orders given in pursuant to the containment efforts are strictly enforced within their Areas of Responsibilities and also ask them to lecture their officers and men on the subject.”
Among the crimes stated for detainment are terrorism, rape/defilement, armed robbery, homicide, kidnapping and other non-bailable offences should warrant detention, even as the CP assured that “adequate measures have been emplaced to screen persons to be committed into police custody.”
