- begins one month enforcement of preventive measures
SUNRISE NEWS, Ibadan, July 23, 2020 Oyo State Government on Wednesday said it might be forced to begin the arrest and prosecution of those who fail to wear nose cover publicly, if the one month enforcement on compliance did not yield the desired result.
The government said it might embark on the arrest and prosecution of face mask defaulters as all other measures adopted to ensure that all protocols and guidelines are followed, are not working.
The government gave the warning while flagging off a one month enforcement of compliance to Covid-19 preventive measures at markets across the state.
The state coordinator, Emergency Operation Center, Dr. Taiwo Ladipo assured that after the enforcement, arrest and prosecution of violators will follow if any any defaulters of the guidelines are caught.
The enforcement exercise tagged medium-scale enforcement of zero tolerance to Covid-19 in the state held at Bodija market, Ibadan.
The chairman, represented by one of the officials of the Risk pillar, a branch of the state EOC, Mrs. Adekunbi Oladipo, maintained that the enforcement team made up of Covid-19 risk managers, environmental health officers and security agencies would embark on a month persuasive and enforcement approach after which those that fall on the wrong side of the law would be made to pay a fine or arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
She added: “We are at Bodija today, to enforce the wearing of nosemasks, social distancing and other preventive measures.”
“We have tried all the methods we know we could use, but the methods are not workings. We are here today to enforce it on people to start taking the preventive measures and see how we can win the COVID-19 war together.”
“People are changing, but we know there are still more enforcement to make this work. From what we got today, we are not sure if we will start arresting people now, but wait till after a month. If anybody is not changing, then we will have to start arresting people.”
Speaking, President of the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, Oyo State Chapter, Tijani Adegoke, who was on the Enforcement Team, said the enforcement is in line with the directive given by Governor Makinde adding that the state government would not relent in its effort at ensuring compliance to Covid-19 directives in public places.
He said part of the measures adopted during the exercise is that the Enforcement Team would be restraining people without nosemask from gaining access into markets.
Adegoke stated, “We are recording the highest level of compliance. You can see all the vehicles we have been stopping. Before they enter into the market, they make sure they put on their facemasks. Then by the time they are coming out, we ensure the same thing. Anybody that wants to prove stubborn will be arrested and likely prosecuted.”
Some of the traders at the Bodija International Market agreed that the effort of the State government in tackling the virus deserved commendation and promised to adhere to the directives of wearing facemasks as well as provision of hand washing facilities at various points in the market.