Magnus Eze, Enugu, Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki, Obinna Odogwu, Awka, Romanus Ugwu, Abuja, Aloysius Attah, Onitsha, Eziomume Solomon and David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu has approved the immediate provision of group life/group personal accident assurance policy for all medical doctors in the state-owned University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, in his resolve to strengthen the state’s response to coronavirus pandemic.
Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, in a statement, yesterday, said the assurance package would also be extended to all doctors in the state Ministry of Health and health workers.
Other beneficiaries include fire fighters, staff of Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (ESEMA)and those on essential services.
Prof. Ortuanya said Governor Ugwuanyi was hopeful that the insurance scheme would inspire higher commitment and productivity from healthcare workers in the quest to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The governor also directed Presidents General of town unions in the state to mobilise volunteers and town criers in autonomous communities to enlighten residents on the need to adhere to the protocol for the prevention of COVID-19 transmission with effect from Thursday, March 26.
The governor further directed them to interface with the Enugu State Multi-sectoral Rapid Response Team, through the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, for the purpose of collecting Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials on corona virus for use by the volunteers and town criers.
According to Prof. Ortuanya, the state government had made provisions for logistic support to assist in the fulfilment of this task by the town criers.
Meanwhile, an Enugu-based hospitality company, Golden Royal, has donated a 600-bed facility to the African Development Institute of Research Methodology (ADIRM) for use in case of outbreak of the novel COVID-19 in the South East, especially Enugu state.
Director of the Institute, Prof. Ike Oluka, disclosed this during the final round of training they organised for health personnel and other volunteers who would work as emergency response team.
He explained that the fully airconditioned facility would give comfort to any victim of the virus, adding that the government alone cannot be allowed to fight the pandemic.
“We decided to establish this emergency response team in order to help both the state and the Federal Government fight the virus and ensure that it does not escalate,” he said.
Oluka stated that members of the response team, numbering 150 have been successfully trained and deployed to the communities in the 17 Local Government Areas of the state to create awareness and sensitize the public on what to do to prevent the spread of the virus.
The director who called for donations from institutions and public-spirited individuals in the fight against the scourge, noted that some other organisations had contributed various materials including personal preventive equipment.
Ebonyi shuts down borders
Ebonyi Government is to shut down all entry points into the state as from Saturday March 28 to persona and vehicles, except those on essential services.
Secretary to the State Government, Dr.Kenneth Ugbala, in a statement, yesterday, said the position of the government was that everybody should remain in one location until the coronavirus pandemic was tackled.
He urged the people of the state to inform family members, visitors, friends and well-wishers about the new directive even as he warned that violators would be arrested and arraigned before the COVID-19 Examination Room.
‘”All entry/exist points, both land and sea in Ebonyi State shall be barricaded.Given the foregoing, only vehicles on special duties, such as those carrying foodstuff, drugs, oil, petroleum and gas as well as construction materials shall be exempted from this directive as long as such drivers are not carrying passengers. Meaning, only driver alone will be allowed with such vehicles on essential duties,” Ugbala said.
Igwe Orizu bars visitors to palace
Igwe Nnewi, Dr. Kenneth Orizu 111, has bared visitors to his palace and suspended the references of cases to the Palace Arbitration Panel as part of measures to guard against the spread of coronavirus pandemic in his community.
Orizu, who is the Grand Patron Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers also suspended all religious and social gatherings, including traditional marriages and burials.
A statement by Prince Obi Orizu made available to newsmen in Abuja, said: “As part of efforts aimed at curtailing the continued spread of the pandemic coronavirus, the Igwe of Nnewi, Kenneth Orizu 111, has restricted visitors and the referral of cases to the Palace Arbitration Panel for determination except on extreme emergencies.
“There is also the restriction on visitors and suspension of the sittings of the Palace Arbitration Panels and the General suspension of usual meetings and all occasions involving more than 30 people at the Palace.
“Igwe Orizu the 111 urged Nigerians to adhere strictly to all safety procedures as ordered by the NCDC, federal and state governments, called for prayers for the eradication of the scourge and the quick recovery of all those already suffering from the virus.
“Igwe Orizu the 111 who is the oldest monarch in Africa further advised Nigerians to stick to all the advisory including self isolation and social distancing, the regular washing of the hands with soap and disinfecting with sanitizers as announced by the NCDC and the Federal Ministry Of Health.
“He subsequently cancelled all social gatherings including traditional marriages and burials in the commercial city of Nnewi noting that all visits to the palace. All social and religious gatherings would resume as soon as the pandemic is curtailed. He commended the efforts of the federal and state governments in curtailing the virus while commiserating with those suffering from the deadly virus and prayed that God would bring the disease to an end soonest by providing a cure.”
Anambra places border areas under watch, vigilance group begins enforcement of restriction orders
Anambra Government has placed its six entry points under watch as part of measures toward containing the spread of coronavirus in the state.
This followed the government’s multi-sectoral approach aimed at combating spread of COVID-19, involving the use of thermometers for reading temperatures of commuters at border points.
Commissioner for Transport, Christian Madubuko, announced this during an inspection tour of some border areas at Onitsha Bridge Head and Amansea bordering Enugu state.
Madubuko urged transport operators to move with passenger manifest at this challenging time to ease contact-tracing in the event of any identified case.
“We are making efforts to see that those coming from other states comply with our directive. We want to check where they are coming from, and where they are going to, in order to ascertain whether they are properly manifested. We have our monitoring teams in other areas to ensure that no place is left out in this task,’’ Madubuko said.
He urged that commuters with high temperature or suspected case of the virus, should be reported to Health Ministry or relevant agencies for immediate diagnosis.
Some of the drivers, who spoke with Daily Sun, commended the initiative of the state government in tackling the global health emergency.
Anambra has boundaries with six states, including Enugu, Imo, Abia, Delta, Kogi and Rivers.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Anambra State Vigilante Supervisory Committee, Ikechukwu Aduba, has ordered operatives of the Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG) to commence the immediate enforcement of COVID-19 restriction orders issued by the government recently.
Aduba in a statement, directed Senior Zonal Supervisors of the local security outfit to mobilise their men and ensure total implementation of the directives issued by Governor Willie Obiano few days ago to forestall possible spread of the deadly virus in the state. Aduba, who is Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Vigilante Matters, also directed the Senior Zonal Supervisors of the AVG in the three senatorial districts to mobilise the chairmen, commanders and men of the group to carry out the enforcement in collaboration with the police and other security agencies.
The restriction order affects traditional marriages, church weddings, Ofala and masquerade festivals, funeral rites, naming ceremonies which are banned in the state till further notice. Other activities barred are chieftaincies, street football, football matches and public gatherings.
Otti distributes medical items to hospitals in Umuahia
Former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia, Alex Otti, yesterday distributed medical items to the Federal Medical Centre and Madonna Catholic Hospital, both in Umuahia, for the prevention of the spread of coronavirus.
The distribution of the items, which was handled by his media aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma, was facilitated by the Alex Otti Foundation.
Presenting the items to Madonna Catholic Hospital, Umuahia, Ekeoma described the gesture as the foundation’s modest contribution to save the lives of the people.
“A time like this, when the coronavirus pandemic is ravaging the whole world, calls for support to enable the hospitals to provide adequate medicare to Abia residents.
“It is the foundation’s little way to encourage the benefitting hospitals to continue to save lives.”
A member of the Board of Madonna Catholic Hospital, Dr Charity Egwuekwe, who received the items on behalf of the hospital, thanked Otti and his foundation for “the noble and humanitarian gesture”.
Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese suspend services
The Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, yesterday, suspended all public celebration of masses effective from Monday, March 30.
In a release by Archbishop Valerian Okeke, the church urged all priests working in the Archdiocese to use Sunday, March 29 to sensitise the congregation in their parishes on the suspension order taken to curtail the spread of coronavirus in the state.
Okeke directed that Easter activities beginning from Palm Sunday on April 5 to19, remain suspended.
“Please use Sunday March 29 to explain to the people the necessity of this very difficult decision and other important liturgical guidelines they may need to know in this critical moment. I request that priests will celebrate private holy masses in their parishes without the people. Priests are hereby requested to pray for the people in those private masses.