Ebonyi Governor Shuts Down Govt Offices Over COVID-19, Orders Self Isolation for Officials

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Thursday, June 4th, 2020

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – As part of measure to check the spread of the deadly Coronavirous pandemic among government functionaries, Ebonyi state Governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has ordered the immediate closure of all government offices in the state, beginning from June 4th, to June 10, 2020.

African Examiner reports that the directive to that effect was contained in a statement issued on Thursday in Abakaliki, the state capital by the state Commissioner for Information, Uchenna Orji.

The governor, expressed serious worry over the infection rate among his state Executive Council (EXCO) members, adding that though the affected government officials were in stable condition, the closure was to ensure effective contact tracing.

According to the statement, all civil servants are to work from their various homes but must leave their phones open to respond to official imperatives.

It added that: “Dr Richard Nnabo and his medical team should commence comprehensive decontamination of government offices including the new and old complexes.”

The statement disclosed that all exco members and government officials, especially those of the Ministries of Finance and that of budget, should “undergo COVID-19 tests within this seven-day period.

“All workers, especially from the two aforementioned ministries, should go into self-isolation. All site operations shall, however, remain operational but must be with strict observation of COVID-19 protocols.”

The government equally advised all sons and daughters of Ebonyi living outside the state to avoid the risk of returning, appealing to the people to take the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols seriously.

Umahi, however, listed them to include hand washing, use of sanitizers and face masks, observation of social distancing, among others.

Ebonyi is among the states in Southeast Nigeria currently with high number of the Covid-19 cases.