Solomon Agbator
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Breaking: Governor Udom Emmanuel declares compulsory face mask in Akwa Ibom

The governor in a statement made available on his Twitter handle stated that the use of face mask by all persons is now compulsory in public places in Akwa Ibom State effective, Monday, May 4, 2020

A dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed all over the State from the hours of 8pm to 6am effective Monday, May 4th, 2020.

The ban on religious gatherings, hospitality services, social gatherings, parties, funerals and concerts remain in effect until further notice. All plazas and recreational centres are to remain closed.

All schools will remain closed until further notice. However, our School on Radio programme on AKBC Radio which has been hugely welcomed and popular will continue to address the instructional and teaching needs of our students until we are able to reopen schools.

Non-essential inter-State movements remain prohibited except those involving agricultural produce or medical personnel and equipment.Markets will be opened three times a week, (Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays) between 10 am – 4 pm to enable people stock up their supplies. Face masks must be worn and social distancing must be observed by all.

All passengers using public transport must make use of face mask. Tricycles must not carry more than three passengers. Taxis must carry a maximum of three persons (One in front and two behind), and buses must not carry more than two persons per row. All public transport operators must provide hand sanitizers in their vehicles. Also remember that the ban on commercial motorcycles within the precincts of Uyo capital city is still in effect.

Farmers will be allowed to carry out their tasks and freely transport their food items while wearing facemasks and not be more than three people in any given public transport vehicle.

Agricultural produce will be allowed free and easy movement across the State – the use of facemasks must be enforced.

To help reopen our economy and get the machinery of governance moving again, a phased resumption of duties will come into effect. All Commissioners and Perm Secretaries should work out modalities that will get the staff of their respective Ministries to return to work in batches.

However, they should ensure that not more than 30 per cent of the workforce of each Ministry, Department and Agency is at work at any given time. All workers should observe social distancing and personal hygiene requirements including the compulsory use of face masks.

Brothers and sisters, we solicit your absolute cooperation as we gradually begin to open up our economy and get our people back to a life of normalcy. I urge you to continue to maintain the sanitary protocols such as hand washing, the use of hand sanitizers, social distancing and other announced guidelines to stem the spread of this virus.

We have intensified our contact-tracing process, knowing full well, that the easiest means of reducing the spread of this pandemic is through this process. Our recent score of 99 % by the NCDC in contact-tracing underscores our determination to stem the spread of this virus.

Now that this night of fear is giving way to a dawn of hope, let us march on knowing that Corona Virus is not a death sentence. Several people who were earlier infected and were given proper care, have turned out negative and have been discharged.

You may have seen a number of these discharged patients recently when they came out to speak to the Press. We have world class medical facilities; please make use of them. Do not wait until conditions become almost medically hopeless before you bring such a patient to us.

Together and in faith, we will defeat this pandemic and get our economy working again.

God bless you all and God bless Akwa Ibom State.

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