COVID-19: Delta to make face masks compulsory for residents

The government said an executive bill will be sent to the state House of Assembly for a law to back the decision.

Addressing reporters in Asaba on the outcome of a virtual State Executive Council meeting, Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, said government would be providing face masks, free of charge, from next week.

He explained that the decision to make the use of face mask compulsory for citizens while in public places was based on the fact that to a large extent, face mask had helped to reduce the spread of the disease.

Aniagwu said the meeting which was presided over by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, also took far-reaching decisions toward further cushioning the effects of COVID-19 on the state’s economy.

According to him, activities of Delta State Board of Internal Revenue (DBIR) were reviewed to ensure that government’s income is recovered without inflicting further pains on the people.

“During the Exco meeting presided by our governor, we also resolved that all protocols must be observed in the process of awarding contracts or procurements to ensure transparency and for our people to always get value for their money.”

He said the decision to lockdown the state was reviewed “and we expressed satisfaction that the proactive lockdown of the state had paid off as it has ensured that the number of COVID-19 cases in the state remained at four.

“We have taken a lot of samples for test and so far, the results that we have received came out negative. It is unfortunate that we lost one person and we are grateful to God that the three cases that we have are doing well.

“Once their results come out negative twice, they will return to their families.

The commissioner maintained that beneficiaries of the state food bank were carefully selected to ensure that they are within the vulnerable group, and thanked individuals and corporate organisations that made donations into the food bank.

“There is no way government can feed everybody; it is impossible, but we know ourselves; if you have, give to your neighbor.

“As a government, we do know that times are hard and we took steps to reach out to the 270 wards in the state and also reached out to the vulnerable groups.

“The results we are getting from the 270 wards are encouraging, because government made it clear that anyone who engages in sharp practices during the distribution of the food will have himself to blame.

“We brought in eminent persons who are highly placed in religious circles, prominent women in the communities, top-ranking civil servants in the communities, councilors representing the wards and community youth leaders (not political youth leaders) to be members of the committees to distribute the food.

“It has nothing to do with politics and members of the committees are people who reside in those communities.

“COVID-19 is real and our people must not take it as a joke,” he added.