TELL Magazine

In the face of soaring figures for the coronavirus infection in the state, Delta State Government announced on Wednesday it would take stringent measures to ensure full compliance with prescribed protocols for averting the spread of the virus. Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, who stated this at a media briefing in Asaba, said some of the measures included establishment of more mobile courts to handle defaulters of the protocols and introduction of new COVID-19 guidelines to ensure that the spread of the virus was checked in the state.

Aniagwu, fresh from isolation centre from where he was discharged on Tuesday after testing positive for the virus on June 20, asserted that “COVID-19 is not a death sentence” and urged the people to freely go for screening for the virus. Top functionaries of government, including the governor, his wife and daughter, had also tested positive for the virus.

The information commissioner conveyed the appreciation of the first family of the state to all Deltans for their prayers and show of love. “The governor and his family are doing very well; he is in very high spirit and he has said that all ongoing projects must continue”, he said. According to Aniagwu “Based on the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, more stringent measures will be taken to ensure compliance; COVID-19 is real and more mobile courts will be established to try those who flout the protocols.

“Also, a task force to ensure compliance will be set up and any hotel, bar or restaurant that flouts the protocols will be shut down. Yesterday (Tuesday), we had a zoom meeting, and as a government, we will not watch individuals endanger the lives of others. We will come up with new protocols that will be enforced by the task force. We cannot fold our hands and allow our people suffer from COVID-19. Tricycles and commercial buses that flout the directives on the number of passengers will be impounded. In churches and other public places, there must be reasonable social-distancing; and if you have a shop and you continue to attend to people without masks, your shop will be closed down”.

Regretting that In less than one month, the state recorded more than 1, 200 infected persons”, Aniagwu cautioned that “By not adhering to those protocols, you continue to put the lives of others at risk” stressing that “The earlier we adhere to the protocols and stamp out COVID-19, the better for us”.