Bauchi reviews lockdown hours over lack of palliative measures

The Bauchi state government has announced the review of the initial lockdown order it imposed on the state earlier in the week due to lack of concrete palliative measures for citizens.

Briefing journalists at the Government House on Thursday, the Chairman of the State Outbreak Response Committee on Lassa fever and COVID-19, Deputy Governor Baba Tela said that the lockdown order will now involve only closure of entry points into Bauchi state.

“Having observed that no palliative measures have been introduced to cushion the effects of the lockdown, we must address the process in a manner that does not create harm or social dislocation.

“Consequently, we are putting emphasizes on borders so that unsuspected carriers of the virus do not infiltrate and spread the virus,”he said.

Our correspondent reports that Bauchi state government had on Wednesday placed a 14-day shutdown order in the state with effect from 6pm on April 2.

But, considering the hardship the order may subject the people of the state to, due to lack of palliative measures, government reviewed the lockdown order, limiting it to the closure of borders with othy states.

The deputy governor stressed that out of the nearly 100 samples tested, only three have been confirmed positive, adding that the first two persons will soon be discharged after the 14- day isolation.

The decision to review the lockdown order in a relaxed manner according to the deputy governor came after due consultations with opinion leaders, statesmen, religious and traditional leaders, the security agencies and healthcare professionals among others.

He said further that “taking cognizance of the fact that majority of the people normally find sustenance by the day, government reviewed the restriction in line with present challenges.”

Tela, who said that the restriction of movements of people in towns and villages have been eased, added that “crucial step in combating the pandemic has to do with managing our people.The lockdown is essentially meant to address that.

“One point must be abundantly clear, this lockdown is not a shutdown, it is a process that is meant to ensure social distancing in a manner that we do not by way of congestion in markets and other densely populated areas expose ourselves to the infection.”

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The deputy governor who said that the social distancing is to be maintained in mosques and churches, markets, weddings and all social ceremonies, appealed to members of the public to show greater understanding and cooperation with law- enforcement agencies to fight the pandemic.

He disclosed that in order to compliment the state efforts in providing palliative measures during the period, a company known as the Tramai Rice Company has donated 3, 600 bags of rice worth N34 million to the state government.

He added that the North East Development Commision and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control also assisted the state with consumables that include 1,800 personal protection commodities, two ventilators, surgical gloves, face masks and hand sanitizers.