Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

Bayelsa Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has signed an Executive Order titled: Bayelsa Infectious Disease (Emergency Prevention) Regulation 2020 as part of strategies to prevent the spread of the virus into the state.

Senator Diri said the executive order was in the exercise of the powers conferred on him pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 of the Quarantine Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and further pursuant to all other enabling laws and powers.

Signing the order in Yenagoa, yesterday, Diri ordered a partial closure of  markets with effect from April 3.

A statement by the acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as having ordered the temporary closure of all markets in the state, particularly Swali market, which is the biggest in the state capital.

He explained that the order exempts food, water, pharmaceutical stores and others rendering essential services.

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Other public places affected include event centres, bars, places of worship, public and private educational institutions and other public gatherings except a written approval is obtained from the governor for such gathering.

He also directed the ministries of trade, health, environment and the environmental sanitation authority to supervise the restrictions.

He directed all supermarkets in the state to adopt rules of social distancing and ensure that customers are sanitised towards promoting public health.

Senator Diri said hoarding of food, drugs and other essential goods and services as well as artificially inflating prices of same shall be deemed as an offence.

He said where a person breaches such directives, his administration would ensure the seizure and forfeiture of the food, drugs and other essential goods to the state.

Diri, who noted that Bayelsa has not recorded any case of the virus, further disclosed that he had directed the procurement of more food items such as garri, beans and noodles.