Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo state Council has called on the state government to declare a 7-day or 14-day lockdown to urgently stop the spread of the coronavirus in the state.
The union in a statement jointly signed by the State Chairman of the Union, Comrade Adetona Aderoboye and the State Secretary, Comrade Leke Adegbite and made available to newsmen in Akure.
NUJ said declaring total lockdown will enable the government to carry out effective contacts tracing and deploy more combative efforts both from the state and federal governments.
The Union also pleaded with striking doctors and the state government to immediately reach a compromise on disputing matters to facilitate effective treatment of COVID-19 patients.
It also appealed to the Presidential Committee on COVID-19 and NCDC to deploy necessary resources to Ondo state like it helped in Kano and Lagos states.
The statement added, “We warn members of the public to obey various COVID-19 precautionary measures and they should know that the disease is real and deadly, while the Union seriously advises media professionals in the state to perform their duties with extraordinary caution.
” We received with great concern the unprecedented spike in the confirmed cases of deadly Coronavirus pandemic in the state in the last three weeks.
“Ondo NUJ is also concerned that the state Health facilities have been overstretched by the pandemic, no doubt the state is in health crisis, even as we pray God to grant our State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and other COVID-19 patients quickest recovery.
“We equally register our sincere condolences to the family, people and government of Ondo state over the sudden death of the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro who also chaired the state Taskforce on COVID-19 until his death. We pray Almighty Allah to grant his soul peaceful rest and continue to uphold his family.
“The Union’s Preliminary findings from its members who on the field show that the state government was well on top of the situation of fighting the disease until three weeks ago when the government ordered the reopening of religious centres; while poor enforcement of 7pm to 7am dust to dawn curfew as well as total violation of precautionary measures at all markets, hotels, relaxation centres in the state without penalties against defaulters are other factors.
” The Union also observes that despite the State government’s commendable distribution of nose masks to reasonable number of people in the state, the compulsory use of same was unfortunately not enforced at public places.
“The Union therefore calls on the state government to consider the option of declaring a 7-day or 14- day lockdown to urgently stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic at a disturbing rate. This measure will enable the government to carry out effective contacts tracing and deploy more combative efforts both from the state and federal governments”.
