Enugu launches extra safety measures

Enugu launches extra safety measures in a most comprehensive response to the threat of Coronavirus so far, asks civil servants to stay home.

Governor Ugwuanyi addressed residents of the State a while ago today 24 March 2020 and gave directives which he mandated law enforcement officials to strictly enforce.

According to him, categories of civil servants exempted from the work-from-home order include “health workers, Forest Guards, Neighbourhood Watch personnel, Water Corporation staff, Waste Management operatives, staff of Enugu State Emergency Management Agency, Fire Fighters and all those involved in other essential services.”

The Governor also suspended cultural and social gatherings such as “marriage ceremonies, burial ceremonies, and masquerade festivals, in addition to social gatherings in bars, nightclubs, sporting and all recreational activities.

All schools in the State were also ordered to close.

The State, however, made exceptions for religious worship centres and restaurants, asking those who patronise them to maintain “social distancing protocol as advised by Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC).”

Chairpersons of Local Government Councils were directed to mobilise their Environmental and Community Health Workers to sustain the ongoing public enlightenment on protocol for prevention of Coronavirus disease transmission in Enugu markets and parks.

Governor Ugwuanyi also took aim at public transportation, asking operators in the state to observe the following rules on number of passengers to convey per trip:

• Keke – not more than two passengers
• Commuter buses – not more that two passengers per seat, and
• City Cabs – not more than three passengers.

The Governor advised all public places to “observe high level of hygiene by use of sanitizers and frequent hand washing as earlier advised by Enugu State Ministry of Health.”

“This is a trying time in our world, nation and state”, Gov. Ugwuanyi said, and restated efforts hitherto in place as the state seeks best ways to shield citizens and residents from the pandemic, including

• realease of N330 million for strengthening the Coronavirus disease pandemic;
• strengthening of the State Emergency Operations Centre led by the State Ministry of Health;
• establishment of a Multi-sectoral Rapid Response Team “comprising representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies including local and international partners such as Nigeria Center for Disease Control, World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF).”

He gave a breakdown of the N330m budget as follows:

• N150m to purchase additional ambulances and incident vehicles, personal protective equipment, upgrade of State Infectious Diseases Isolation Centre, training of health workers, and advocacy and public enlightenment campaigns,
• N80m for restocking of the State Drug Revolving Scheme, and
• the remaining N100m provisioned for unforeseen public health challenges.

Gov. Ugwuanyi commended efforts being made by President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus Disease to deal with the “global emergency in Nigeria.”

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