Niger relaxes lockdown, opens markets, banks
The Niger state government has again relaxed the lockdown imposed on the state to combat a further spread of COVID-19.
The state government also directed that all markets, departmental stores and other business outfits should resume full business activities.
It however, said that the curfew in the state will now be from 10pm to 4am.
Governor Abubakar Sani- Bello, who announced the series of measures in Minna after a meeting with officials of the state COVID- 19 Task Force, said traders and proprietors of other business outfits must however, ensure strict compliance with the regulations put in place by health authorities for the containment of the COVID- 19 pandemic including social distancing and wearing of face masks.
However, Governor Bello directed that all civil servants apart from those on level 14 and above should continue to remain at home, but exempted those on essential services.
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He also retained the ban on inter -state travels except for vehicles conveying food items and other goods adding that the ban on intra- state movement has been lifted while the use of commercial motorcycles for transportation is outlawed.
Bello on the reopening of schools directed the ministry of education to organise a meeting with relevant stakeholders to come out with a policy on the reopening of educational institutions which for now remain closed.
He also said that wearing of face masks in public places is compulsory and asked law -enforcement agencies to apprehend and prosecute offenders.
Governor Bello said government will collaborate with the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, for the construction of a testing laboratory in the institution.
