Akwa Ibom state government has announced that the ongoing lockdown imposed in the state to curtail the spread of the ravaging Coronavirus otherwise known as COVID-29 was still in force.
Secretary to the State Government and Chairman of COVID-19 Management Committee, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem who made the disclosure while providing an update on COVID-19 yesterday in Uyo, assured that no effort would be spared in the fight against the virus.
Ekuwem also announced that the School on Radio programme intended to keep students busy has commenced.
His words “In as much as we identify with the hardship being experienced by our people, we must also acknowledge that the threat of the Coronavirus is still with us, hence we are constrained to continue the enforcement of lockdown regulations.
“Let me also seize this opportunity to inform you that the School on Radio programme, which I mentioned in my last briefing and which His Excellency also reiterated has commenced.
“This initiative, intended to keep our students busy, especially those preparing for their final examinations in the junior and senior secondary school categories has received commendations from the public.
“In our case management and infection prevention, we have continued to make reasonable strides. So far, our case summary is as follows-number of laboratory-confirmed Cases twelve (12), number of active cases, two, number of discharged cases nine and number of deaths one”
The SSG added that the state COvid-19 team was not resting on their oars on contact tracing as they would continue to go after every suspected case.
, “A concomitant effort to contact tracing is the decontamination of public spaces in our major cities and health facilities, even as we intensify point of entry screening in our air, land, and sea borders across the state.
, “We have continued to maintain 24-hourly Call Centre in the Situation Room and urged members of the public to continue to perform their social responsibilities of giving relevant information that may be useful in helping the state win the war against the pandemic”
He noted that besides palliatives comprising garri, rice, flour, and beans distributed to about 3,000 villages across the state, that non-indigenes have also benefitted from the effort approved by the governor, while all first responders in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic and major groups, faith-based organizations, and orphanages, have equally been reached out to.
Ekuwem, however, expressed sadness that in spite of the giant’s strides they have recorded so far in the fight against the ravaging virus, some unscrupulous elements have constituted themselves into clogs in the wheels of progress of the state.
“With social media as their tool, propaganda against the administration has become their past time. Let me urge these elements and their sponsors to turn a new leaf and desist from peddling rumours and falsehood about the administration and its functionaries.
“They must realize that whatever decision taken is in the best interest of the people. The government, at all times, reserve the right to deploy its functionaries as deemed necessary for optimum performance and result.
“I am sure you all know that in a war situation, no troop can afford to be divided if it intends to win. You will also recall that our Governor noted that this pandemic is no respecter of persons, positions, religion, tribe or political affiliation.
“To this end, emotions and unnecessary sentiments should have no place if we must win this war. We enjoin all citizens and residents to join hands in our fight against COVID19. It’s not the time for the pursuit of selfish interests to the detriment of our collective interest as a people”, Ekuwem stated.
