Segun James
The Lagos State Government has employed whistleblowers that would report companies that flout its directives on business operations in the state during the period of easing the lockdown of the state.
This was announced by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu , who lamented that some medical personnel in the state have succumbed to the pandemic.
Sanwo-Olu said: “There will be an overnight curfew from 8p.m. to 6a.m., except for essential services. This means that from the hours of 8p.m. to 6a.m., we expect all Lagosians to stay in their homes.
“Furthermore, there is a ban on interstate travel at this time. This means that no persons will be allowed in or out of Lagos until further notice, except for those delivering essential goods and services. And by this, we mean food items, petroleum products, newspapers, and essential manufactured goods.”
He noted that the state has continued to be the epicentre of #COVID19 in Nigeria as the total number of confirmed cases in our state as at midnight, April 28, 2020, was 844.
The governor disclosed that 143 persons have been treated and discharged in the state and that “we are discharging 49 people, of whom there are 48 Nigerians and one Foreigner – a Greek national. Of these there are 28 females and 21 males.
Sadly, we have lost 19 people, and we currently have 682 active cases.”
He said that he has spoken on phone with all medical personnel that were infected with COVID-19. “I spoke with all of them earlier today and I am pleased to say that they are all doing very well and in very high spirits. We are all looking forward to their discharge very soon.
“Our medical workers will continue to be top priority for us at this time, and we will continue to make available all the resources they require, in terms of Hazard Allowances, COVID-19 Allowances, Personal Protective Equipment, psycho-social support, and others.”
He disclosed that the government would continue the active case finding in communities across Lagos State. “So far, we have covered over 1.5million households; and we are also continuing to scale-up our isolation and treatment capacity. The isolation center at Gbagada opens tomorrow (today), and we are currently working on building three additional isolation centers in the state,” adding that “all medical establishments will continue to open, and maintain a high index of suspicion for COVID-19 and all suspected cases must be reported to the State Helpline: 08000-267662.”
The governor, who is also the chief incident commander of the pandemic in the state, made it clear that “Lagos State will be very strict in the implementation of this directive,” adding that “as a first step, I am directing that vehicles carrying food and agricultural produce into Lagos from any part of the country cannot have more than seven passengers on board. The same applies when these vehicles are leaving the state.
“We are compelled to issue this directive because we have in recent weeks seen attempts to conceal people in trucks and other vehicles carrying essential items, with the aim of sneaking them into or out of the state.”
