Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has cancelled the customary interdenominational service usually held in offices on the first work day of the year.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday night, the Commissioner for Information and Values Orientation Akin Omole explained that the cancellation was part of efforts to curtail the spread of the coronavirus in the state.
He added that Mr Fayemi’s directive that public workers on grade level 12 and below should work from home also remained sacrosanct as workers resume duties on Monday, a day after the public holiday marking the beginning of the New Year.
Mr Omole noted the need for residents to adhere strictly to all COVID-19 protocols to protect themselves and others from contracting the deadly virus.
He added that the government had made the proper use of face mask mandatory in the state while physical distancing must also be maintained.
Omole also emphasised the importance of avoiding crowds, keeping rooms well ventilated and regular washing of hands with soap and water, as well as using alcohol-based hand sanitiser and coughing into bent elbow or disposable tissue.