Magnus Eze, Enugu
The Enugu State Government has commenced the fumigation of markets, bus stops, secretariats and other designated densely-populated areas in a bid to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the state.
Enugu State Chief Fire Officer Okwudili Ohaa, who spoke to reporters shortly after Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi supervised the flag off of the exercise at the Ogbete Main market, lamented that the agency’s major setback was the residents’ defiance of the state government’s stay-at-home order.
He said that the exercise was impeded as the residents were still conducting business and roaming the streets.
According to Ohaa, the state government had mandated and made funds available to the fire service to embark on fumigation of highly-populated areas in the state to prevent not only coronavirus infection but other infectious diseases.
He further added that the fumigation will take place in all isolation centres in the state and across the 17 local government areas, and will, henceforth, be carried out at night because of movement of people at daylight hours.
“In Europe and America, you don’t see people on the streets, but here people are yet to obey the government order to stay at home.
“At the artisan market, we went to fumigate it but people were there and you can’t pour chemicals on people. The major hiccup is that people are not complying with the government directive that we stay at home, except people on essential duties,” Ohaa lamented.
He disclosed that the agency had so far fumigated Holy Ghost, Polo Mall, old artisan market and parts of Nsukka areas.
Ohaa noted that even though the chemical for sanitisation was not harmful to man, it would not be fair to douse people with the chemicals, as he advised state residents to comply with the stay-at-home order.
