The Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, has postponed workers resumption date earlier scheduled for the 20th April,2020 to the 27th April, 2020. He stated this during a press briefing held at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.
The Governor has also promised to provide one million face masks for residents of the state for a start. He said, it is mandatory for the use of face masks in public places going forward.
GOALPOACHER NEWS quoted Makinde to have said
“in view of some of the reports we have right now, especially the new cases that have returned positive, we have moved the resumption at the state secretariat forward to Monday 27th April,2020. The Taskforce get reports daily but we meet formally every other day. So subject to our further evaluation, tentatively, we will reopen the state secretariat on the said new date.”
Speaking on safety measures, Governor Seyi Makinde who doubles as the State COVID-19 TASKFORCE says
“as I stated in an earlier interview, one of the measures we considered to prevent, contain and curtail the spread of the COVID-19, is the compulsory use of face mask. Before you come to a public place, you must wear face mask.”
“Yes we know it’s a very difficult economic environment right now, what Oyo State Government has done, we will produce an initial one million face masks to kick start mask in public places.”
“What we have done is to link up with artisans(the tailors) in Oyo State. Hundred of them will be inaugurated on Monday, 20th April, 2020 to make #10,000 face masks each.”
“Also, we are collaborating with experts who have already designed the face mask and train the tailors on how to make them. They will also employ some more tailors to join them so that on a daily basis, each tailor will be able to to produce 2,000 daily and thereby meets the target of the 10,000 weekly.”
Speaking on the Test Facility put in place, the Governor said
“When we launched The test facility at Adamasingba, the effort of testing more people is already bearing fruits for us. While the 100 bed for the Infectious Disease Centre at Olodo is ready to receive cases, we are upgrading the Isolation Centre at the LAUTEC Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso. On the Maternal and Child Health Centre,Saki, is also been converted to Isolation Centre. Also, the the General Hospital at Igboora is being evaluated for section of it to be used as Isolation Centre.”
Speaking further, Makinde harped on food security, he said,
“This is planting season, if we don’t utilise the window to plant, we shouldn’t expect anything when is harvest time. We want to ensure that our farmers are able to farm.”
“We are rapping up on the enlightenment of our farmers on how best to remain safe during the planting season. We are also collaborating with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), as well as the Institute of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training both in Ibadan are to assist the farmers this season for us to to battle with after the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Speaking on why the state is yet to distribute palliatives to the poorest of the poor,Makinde noted that,
“We are collating the accurate data of the poorest of the poor in the state for the relief materials not to get to the wrong hands.”
He affirmed that the palliatives would be distributed before next week runs out with the accurate data at hand.
In another development, the state has confirmed that two more cases have tested positive to the coronavirus, making the state to have seven active cases. The news came in after the press briefing at the Government House this Friday.
