COVID 19: Delta govt to ensure adherence to inter-state lockdown directives ~ Truth Reporters

Local Government Chairmen in the State have been charged to ensure the enforcement of government's directives towards the partial lifting of the ban on movement of persons within the state.

The Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG) Mr. Chiedu Ebie gave this charge when he met with Chairmen of Local Government Councils that have boundaries with neighboring States, the Commissioner of Police and Deputy Director, State Security Service.

The SSG said though government had relaxed the lock down in the State, it would strictly enforce the inter state boundary lock down in other to ensure that the gains recorded during the total lock down period was not eroded.

He therefore called on the Chairmen of Councils whose Council Areas shared boundaries with other States to ensure compliance with the directives of the State Government.

The SSG said henceforth monitoring of the boundaries would be on twenty four hours basis and urged the Chairmen to work out modalities to make it effective.

He equally reiterated the government's stand on the use of face masks which takes effect from 30th April, 2020 and urged them also to ensure that they continue to sensitise the people on the need for them to use the face masks.

In their various comments, the Council Chairmen pledged to do their best to ensure strict compliance of the directives towards containing the spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Speaking, the State Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa also pledged that the State Police Command would ensure that his men are ready to enforce the State Government's directives .

In a related development the SSG has charged the Delta State Park Management Committee and the Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Association to ensure that they sensitise their members on government's directives and the guidelines on their mode of operation during the partial lifting of the ban on movement of persons within the State.

Mr Ebie stated this in a meeting with them and listed the directives to include the following: 2 persons should be at the back of a tricycle with only the driver at the front; 2 persons at the back of a taxi, the driver and one person at the front; 10 -12 persons for a 16/18 seater bus.

The SSG also stressed the importance of the use of the face masks by drivers and commuters and called on the leadership of the union to ensure that they pass the message across to their member's as non would be spared if they broke the laws.

He said the security agencies would be at hand to monitor strict compliance while stating that the curfew imposed by the State government still subsit and they should ensure that their members adhere to it.

The leadership of the various unions pledged to work with the State government to see to it that the directives are fully implemented.