Ekiti State Government led by Governor Kayode Fayemi says it might cancel the current relaxed lockdown if residents continue disregarding guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state.
Commissioner for Information, Muyiwa Olumilua, made this known on Tuesday while giving an update on the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
“The state government will have no option than to return to lockdown season if the current recalcitrant attitude of not obeying interstate ban, social and physical distancing, mandatory use of face masks and hand sanitisers as well as other protocols persisted,” Mr Olumilua said.
“It is not as if the governor is interested in inflicting hardship on Ekiti people.
“That was why he reopened economic activities between Mondays and Fridays to enable people pursue their means of livelihood.
“As of now, Ekiti has nine active cases and we are not happy with the way social distancing as well as use of hand sanitisers, face masks and infrared thermometers are being fragrantly disobeyed in public places.
“We are still maintaining the stand that banks, shops, shopping malls, eateries, market men and women must keep to all these guidelines to prevent community spread of COVID- 19 in Ekiti, but all of these are now being ignored.
“We only need to thank God that we are still at a stage where we have not had community spread because those who came to infect our people here came from outside the state.
“But should our people refuse to abide by the protocols as they are currently doing, we will be left with no other option than to return to lockdown to avert community spread,” the commissioner said.
He added that the state government was not ready to reopen schools until there was convincing evidence of safety.
