Moses Ofodeme
Zamfara State Government has shut down all government offices, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs across the state.
Governor Bello Muhammad has been mostly indoors since he came back to the state last Thursday from a foreign trip after staying for a while in Abuja.
The Governor attended the inspection of proposed quarantined coronavirus centre at the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau on Friday after his arrival in the state.
His wife Hajiya A’isha Bello Muhammad also cancelled a press briefing at the Governor’s private residence at exactly 3pm, an hour to the scheduled time.
Commissioner of Police Usman Nagoggo banned all gatherings of more than 20 people across the state and ordered for decongestion of all police stations, including immediate release of all suspects with minor offences.
Similarly, Niger Government has imposed a curfew and announced the closure of all public and private schools including institutions of higher education as part of measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Alhaji Abubakar Bello, the Niger State governor made this known during a state broadcast in Minna.
Bello said that the proactive measure would go a long way in tackling the spread of the pandemic, even though no case has been recorded in the state.
“As from Wednesday, March 25, 2020, the state shall observe daily curfew from 8:00am to 8:00pm till further notice.
“All public and private schools and institutions in Niger state to remain closed down from today, Monday 23rd March, 2020,’’ he said.
He said that all public gatherings of more than 20 persons and all forms of street hawking and begging have been banned from March 23.
The Governor announced that all public offices; Ministries, Departments and Agencies must provide hand washing items at the entrance of their facilities.
He said that all civil servants on grade levels one to 12 in the state would stay at home, except those on essential services.
Bello urged the public including market men and women to maintain social distancing and wash hands with soap regularly.
He enjoined the traditional leaders to shutdown all Almajiri schools in their communities.
The Governor advised the public to be vigilant, adhere strictly to personal hygiene, social distancing and seek medical attention in the event of symptoms.
He called on individuals with travel history from countries and states with cases of COVID-19 to ensure self-isolation and report to the nearest health facility in the state.
“We have reactivated our isolation centre at a general hospital, Minna and isolation rooms in all our general hospitals across the state.
“We have prepositioned drugs, medical supplies and personal protection equipment at the isolation centre in Minna,’’ he said.
Bello said that the government has strengthened its surveillance system to detect any case of COVID-19 including investigation and monitoring of any outbreak.
“The Public Health Emergency Operation Centre is at watch mode and enhanced surveillance is already in place,’’ he said.
Bello added that sensitisation of the state clinicians on epidemic-prone diseases was ongoing while treatment protocols are being circulated.
He said that the government was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation on effective means of sharing information, to prevent infection and mitigate spread in case of an outbreak in the state.