FIC Report (Edo State) – The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew effective from Monday, April 20, 2020, prohibiting the movement of people throughout the state from 7pm to 6am, as part of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state.
Obaseki, who disclosed this in a broadcast, noted that the order will be reviewed after 10 days, when increased screening and testing of citizens in the state must have been achieved.
The curfew, according to the governor, is part of additional measures to ensure that people stay at home and prevent further spread of the infectious disease.
He said that by this directive, the security agencies are mandated to enforce total compliance by ensuring that movement is restricted at night across the State.
Governor Obaseki, noting that the testing centre at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) is ready to commence operation, said Edo State will, in the next few days, begin testing for 1000 residents daily.
The governor said healthcare workers handling the COVID-19 response in the state have been provided with life insurance and special allowances, as motivation to work on the front lines in the fight against the pandemic virus.
He noted that it is important to carry out screening and testing in order to understand and have the required information to control the spread of this virus; as the state gears towards screening a minimum of 500,000 of her citizens.
According to the governor, the state will continue on a partial lockdown for now, but not totally shutdown the economy because of the untold economic hardships which a total shutdown will cause our residents. He added that the decisions will be reviewed, based on the evidence obtained from our mass screening and testing.
The governor urged everyone to try and get screened at any of the several screening centres across the state and where required, one would be tested for confirmation. This is in addition to regular washing of hands with soap under running water, and the use alcohol-based sanitizers.
Daniel Ejodamen
(FIC, Benin City)
