Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa
By Emmanuel Ogor
ASABA/Nigeria: Delta State Government had pleaded with the administration to bear with covid-19 lockdown, as the measures been put is not an action meant to inflict pain on the populace.
The Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, today Tuesday 14th April, 2020, stated this during a state wide broadcast while given reasons for the extension at home order for another two weeks.
He pointed out that there is the need to intensify contacts tracing and ensure that the state becomes clean from the pandemic before suspending the order.
The governor appealed to all Deltans to cooperate with government in its deliberate efforts to fight against the spread of corona virus and its foreseeable socioeconomic consequences in the state.
Gov Okowa thanked those who either made donations to the food bank or cash donations to designated bank accounts in Sterling, Zenith and United Bank for Africa, UBA.
He appealed to corporate organisations and wealthy Deltans to partner with government by assisting the state in the provision of palliatives to the people, to cushion the effects of the stay at home order which had been extended by two weeks.
Prospective cash donors are encouraged to walk into the banking halls of the above mentioned banks, request for bank account details and deposit their donations.
Gov Okowa assured citizens and donors that the food items and cash donations shall be well utilised to cushion the harsh socioeconomic effects occasioned by the stay at home order.
“By the powers invested in me, I hereby extend the stay at home order for another two weeks to enable us intensify contact tracing, bring those involved into the isolation centres.
“I urged Deltans to comply with the order and be law abiding citizens throughout the next two weeks.
Distribution and sharing of palliatives will be transparent and along federal ward channels,” Okowa assured.
It will be recalled that the first phase of the stay at home order recorded three Covid-19 cased with one death. The governor was furious over circumstances surrounding the second case and after investigation, ordered the immediate closure of the private hospital in Warri, for not referring the patient to the nearest Isolation centre on time in line with Covid-19 prevention and case management guidelines.
