Coronavirus Pandemic
OYO State Government has expressed its worry over the influx of people into the state through its porous borders in Ogbomoso zone, without obeying the interstate restriction order.
Dr Wasiu Olatubosun, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, said the state government would ensure that its border towns were effectively secured.
Olatubosun spoke in company of other members of the media team of the state COVID-19 task force, while monitoring border lockdown compliance on Tuesday at Oki, Oko, Otee and Ijado Towns, the state borders with Osun and Kwara respectively.
He decried the low level of compliance to the border closure order in the communities, urging residents to cooperate with security personnel manning the borders.
The commissioner said the state government would take all necessary measures to block all illegal boundary routes that motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians plied to enter Oyo State from Osun and Kwara.
He called on the Government of Osun and Kwara to ensure that strict measures were in place at their respective borders.
According to him, this is a way of complementing the government’s efforts at enforcing total compliance to the interstate border closure.
He said the challenges of porosity being faced at the border posts wouldn’t have been experienced, if the two states manned their borders effectively.
Earlier, the Divisional Police Officer in Surulere Local Government Area of the state, Mr Salawu Olayinka, briefed the commissioner on the challenges facing his personnel at the border posts in the areas.
According to Olayinka, residents of the border communities are not cooperating with the security personnel and are in the habit of threatening the policemen whenever we resist violation of the border closure.
“In fact, they have created footpaths in the bushes around here, as escape routes where people from Ejigbo in Osun enter Oyo State,” he said.
Earlier at the palaces of Oba (Prof.) John Akintola- Alapa of Oki Town and Oba (Dr) Solomon Akinola- Oloko of Oko Town, Olatubosun sought for the cooperation of the monarchs to prevail on their subjects to abide with the movement restriction at the borders.
According to the commissioner, as at May 10, Oyo State recorded 64 cases of COVID-19, and seven of the cases are from Ogbomoso zone.
“Five of the seven cases are from here- Surulere LGA, so our people should take the issue of Coronavirus seriously by obeying all guidelines put in place by the administration of Gov. Seyi Makinde to contain the spread of the virus in the state,” he said.
The commissioner urged the residents to take their personal hygiene serious, abide by physical distancing, regular handwashing with soap, use of hand sanitisers and facemasks in public places.
He implored residents of the various border towns and villages not to hesitate to report to the government, arrival of any person into their respective communities.
“Do not receive any visitor during this period, even, if your son or daughter living outside this community arrives now, quickly report him or her.
“This is ensure that such individual can be quarantined for 14 days to know, maybe he or she has been infected or not.
“Coronavirus is real, and we should all be conscious of our environments now and report to government, if strangers arrived your communities,” he said.
The commissioner also urged the monarchs to deploy their local hunters to all the illegal routes created in the border communities.
“This is a way of enhancing the jobs of the conventional security operatives that were manning major boundary borders,” he said.
The monarchs, commended the administration of Gov. Makinde for its proactive measures in combating the spread of COVID-19 across the state.
and promised to continue supporting all governments efforts at curbing the spread of the virus in their respective communities.
The Alapa of Oki Town said he had organised awareness campaign on COVID-19 pandemic where health workers were invited to educate residents of the community on guidelines to follow to avoid contracting the virus.
Also, Oloko of Oko, said as part of his responsibilities, he had set up a palliatives committee and distributed food items to some indigents within his domain.
However, hundreds of facemasks and some bottles of hand sanitisers were given to the monarchs for distribution to their respective subjects.
Olatubosun also distributed facemasks to residents on the streets of Oko, Oki, Ijado and Otee Towns.
Mr Moruf Gbadamosi, the Caretaker Chairman of Surulere Local Government Area and other caretaker committee members were present during the visit. (NAN)
– May 12, 2020 @ 15:15 GMT |
Tags: COVID-19: Borders porosity in Ogbomoso zone worries Oyo State
