Coronavirus Pandemic
By Anayo Ezugwu
CLEEN Foundation has raised alarm over low compliance on the use of face mask and physical distancing in the South-South region of the country. The group said physical distancing was observed in the urban areas, while rural communities and riverine areas carried on with business as usual.
In a report made available to Realnews, CLEEN Foundation regretted that some places of worship in the region are not adhering to COVID-19 guidelines. It said that the approved market and movement days also served as grounds for overcrowding across major markets in the region
“In some urban areas of Delta state, it was observed that most transporters did not adhere to physical distancing when conveying passengers on market days. Most markets in the state are observed to operate in primary and secondary schools closest to their domain and social distancing was not adhered to as the markets were overcrowded.
“In the major markets across the state, it was observed that no measures were put in place by the government to control the crowds for the three days, which the government directed citizens to trade and stock-up on food supplies. Our observers further reported that most citizens in coastal areas such as Ayakoromo, Ogbeingbene, Okirika, Gbekebor, Obotebe, Yayorogbene, Ekoro, Egologbene, Oyangbene, Akparemogbene, Eseimogbene in Burutu local government area areas failed to make use of their facemasks knowing that the activities of monitoring task force were not strong in these areas. Boat riders and passengers in the riverine communities of Egbokodo River in Warri, River Ethiope in Sapele, Urie River in Igbide Isoko, Asaba-Ase creek and Aragba River in Abraka, failed to make use of their masks believing that the virus will not spread to the territory.
“However, with the ease of lockdown by the state government, most supermarkets, departmental stores, corporate organizations and designated offices were observed to permit entry of persons into their facilities only with facemask, while the state taskforce in enforcing violation of physical distancing was reported to have shut down some eateries around Ekpan, Ugberikoko, Ugbolokposo all in Uvwie LGA of Delta state.
“In Edo state, it was observed that in Etsako East LGA, some churches were organising programmes with sizable gatherings and physical distancing was not being adhered to, including in most markets in the state due to overcrowding. Compliance is said to be average on ban on public gathering as there are reported incidences of gathering of more than 20 persons by citizens in some parts of the state. There is moderate compliance by residents on the use of facemasks, while transporters were observed to fully comply with the physical distancing by commuters which was enforced by the state taskforce.
“In most markets visited, especially Ibillo market in Akoko Edo LGA and Okhuesan communities in Esan south east LGA, citizens failed to adhere to physical distancing. Most transporters in the state were observed to adhere to physical distancing, while commuting passengers. However, we still recorded a few incidences of violations. Most citizens across the state were observed not to comply with the use of facemasks and physical distancing in public places,” it said.
According to the report, despite the imposition of fine by Cross River State Government on ‘No-Mask-No Movement’ policy, some members of the Hausa community in Calabar the state capital, did not comply with social distancing rules. It stated that there was a commendable level of compliance in the usage of facemasks by residents in the urban areas and several violations in the rural communities. The report noted that most citizens that participated in the local government area elections held in June 2020 wore face masks.
“However, compliance to physical distancing amongst citizens was not adhered to and most polling units were not provided with hand sanitizers, especially outside the state capital. It is hoped that with this new law, the level of compliance to the use of facemasks will improve across the state. In Bayelsa state, it was observed by our volunteers that social distancing was not observed in most markets in the state.
“There were reports of non-compliance to physical and social distancing by commuters, transporters and even security operatives in the state mainly made up of police, army and Civil Defense Corps, who checked vehicle particulars and controlled crowd movement, including patrolling the highways, These operatives were observed not to wear facemask and other personal protective equipment, including complying with social and physical distance in their various stations and barracks, including Police Force (Ekeki, Azikoro, and Akenfa Police station), Civil Defense (Water Board road), Air Force (along Okaka express way), Army and Navy Based (at Agudama town) all in Yenagoa, the state capital.
“It was further observed that most citizens living in the rural and riverine areas namely Kolokuma, Ogbia and Sagbama, Nembe and Southern Ijaw Local Government areas flouted government directives on the use of face mask. They were also reported not to observe physical distancing in their communities, however the compliance level in Yenagoa the state capital was observed to be high by citizens.
“Our observers in Rivers state observed that the United Bank of Africa, Ikwerre Branch was observed to violate the directive on physical distancing by her customers and was almost shut down by the Local Government chairman for noncompliance within the reporting period. Other areas visited in the state apart from Obio-Akpor and Port Harcourt LGAs, which were observed to commence partial lockdown on the 4th of May 2020, witnessed partial compliance by citizens to government directives.
“Most transporters were observed to adhere to physical distancing, while commuting passengers but there were still few incidents of violations. Furthermore, the volunteers observed that most police personnel on patrol neither wore face masks nor maintained physical distancing with motorists.”
– Jul. 15, 2020 @ 17:29 GMT
Tags: COVID-19: Use of facemask records low compliance in South-South – CLEEN Foundation
