…Niger governor opens state, keeps students, workers at home
After 75 days of lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Kaduna State, Governor Nasir El-Rufai has opened the state.
The governor in a state broadcast announced the relaxation of the lockdown following the invocation of the Quarantine Act and the Kaduna State Public Health Law, to impose the Quarantine Regulations starting from Wednesday.
El-Rufai paid tribute to the good people of Kaduna State, for their immense sacrifices in the last two and half months as containment measures against COVID-19 were implemented.
The governor said that as from Wednesday, 10 June 2020, the Quarantine Order will be amended to permit a significant reopening of the state, especially businesses and places of worships.
Schools, markets will remain closed, while Mosques, Churches will run only Juma’at, Sunday services
He promised that the government will “keep engaging with the relevant stakeholders on the matter, to determine the appropriate timing and conditions precedent.
“Businesses can reopen, subject to the provision of thermometers for temperature checks, sanitisers or handwashing equipment and physical distancing measures within all facilities. Working hours will be 9 am to 3 pm daily,” he said.
The governor further said that “church services are allowed only on Sundays and Mosques are allowed to conduct only Friday Jumat services, for the time being, subject to compliance with the safety stipulations above.”
El-Rufai maintained that transport operators must reduce capacity to not more than two passengers per row and not more than 50 per cent of capacity.
The governor said that the ban on intra-state travel has been lifted but government officials will continue to control state boundaries to reduce unauthorised interstate travel.
“Within the state, security checkpoints will be allowed only to enforce compliance with the night-time curfew. During the day, any violations of the adjusted Quarantine Order like failure to wear facemasks etc. will be enforced by Operation Yaki, KASTLEA, the Vigilance Service and our Mobile Courts,” he said.
According to him, “supermarkets and providers of personal services such as hairdressing and barbing salons can reopen; hotels can fully open, but with their restaurants and bars offering only room service.”
The governor warned that restaurants may all reopen after decontamination, but are still restricted to takeaway services, adding that “Public servants will be summoned back to work in phases to be announced by the Head of Service.”
El-Rufai counselled that after the opening up of the state, “the next step of staying safe while pursuing socio-economic activities is strictly in the hands of each individual.
“While we require individual citizens to practice personal responsibility, the places where they work, worship or shop and the vehicles in which they travel must also protect their health and safety,” he clarified.
The governor pointed out that “this requires that all sectors of society understand and discharge their responsibility for safe reopening, including the specific steps they are required to take.”
According to him, government officials embarked on series of sensitisation and consultations with stakeholders in the last two weeks as part of conditions for reopening the various sectors, in order to promote this wide understanding.
The governor said that government officials submitted the draft guidelines for debate at those meetings and “we have considered the contributions, suggestions and feedback received from the stakeholders in concluding the detailed re-opening protocols being published for each sector.”
El-Rufai warned that “any facility or sector that generally violates the guidelines will be closed down under the Quarantine Order No 2 of June 2020 that I will sign today for immediate gazetting.”
While urging citizens to take responsibility and comply with these measures, he further warned that “this relaxation will be reversed in the event of a spike in COVID-19 infections or unsatisfactory compliance levels with the conditions, and total quarantine re-imposed to preserve health and protect lives.”
El Rufai appealed to people who are 50 years and above restrict their movement, in spite of the fact that restriction of movement has been lifted in the Kaduna state.
“As we open up, we advise older people to stay home as much as possible and avoid condolence visits and attending congregational prayers. Older people above 50 years should avoid receiving visitors.
“If you must receive, please wear a facemask and stay two meters apart from your visitors. Younger people that may be infected but showing no signs of the disease can easily infect older people,” he counselled.
The governor promised that his administration “will continue to implement the policy of repatriating almajirai back to their parents to afford them due care and the right to free education.”
According to him, “this is is an important step in complying with our state’s Child Welfare and Protection Law. We do not regard modern education and quranic education as mutually exclusive. A child can get both without being abandoned b their parents, leading to child abuse, mistreatment and an uncertain future.”
El Rufai pleaded with residents of Kaduna State to commit to taking personal responsibility.
“Let us honour the sacrifices that have been made to ensure that this opening up supports the pursuit of livelihoods without risking widespread infection, illnesses and death. You have done it for more than ten weeks under partial lockdown. Let us show that we can stay safe in relaxed conditions,” he added.
Also, the Executive Governor of Niger state, Abubakar Sani Bello has relaxed lockdown orders in the state.
This disclosure was made by the Governor while receiving the technical committee report for the establishment of Niger COVID 19 molecular testing laboratory in Government House, Minna.
Abubakar disclosed that all commercial activities can resume but schools are to remain closed while civil servants are to remain at home unless those on essential duties.
This is coming less than 24 hours after Nigeria’s tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 12, 801 as 315 new infections were announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
Seven deaths were recorded from the virus on Monday bringing the total number of confirmed deaths from the virus to 361.
Niger State has recorded 44 cases so far.
In the past weeks, the numbers of infections and deaths in the country have increased.
The number of recovered and discharged patients from the virus is also increasing daily. – The News.
