Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, on Monday, said he
relaxed the lockdown imposed on the state for 28 days to contain
the spread of coronavirus in order to prevent possible social
unrest and hunger amongst the people of the state.
The governor stated this in a statement by the Commissioner for
Information and Public Enlightenment, C-Don Adinuba.
He noted that striking a balance between protecting the economy
and public health was imperative in the fight against the
coronavirus pandemic.
According to the governor, easing the restriction on movement in
the state was a sequel to the treatment of the state’s index case
as well as 68 contact persons who tested negative for the lethal
virus.
Obiano said, “Like every other government, the Anambra State
administration is bound to protect its people from the ravages of
COVID-19 but it cannot afford to do so by unwittingly allowing
millions of its people to die of hunger and starvation or by
causing their businesses to collapse through an unmitigated
lockdown.
“The 28 days of lockdown, when all markets were shut down,
vehicular and human movements restricted, schools closed,
traditional religious services suspended, funerals, wedding and
title taking ceremonies practically stopped, have already taken an
enormous toll on the people’s well being.
“Social unrest must be avoided. If people in developed nations
could not accept more than three weeks of lockdown, despite the
immense social safety nets for the poor and the huge amounts paid
by governments directly to the citizens who lost their jobs in the
wake of COVID-19, we can imagine what the most vulnerable in our
society and elsewhere in Africa have been going through.”
He stressed that though the restriction has been eased, schools
were not open yet and civil servants were still working from home,
adding that no visitor was permitted into the state.
Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, on Monday, said he
relaxed the lockdown imposed on the state for 28 days to contain
the spread of coronavirus in order to prevent possible social
unrest and hunger amongst the people of the state.
The governor stated this in a statement by the Commissioner for
Information and Public Enlightenment, C-Don Adinuba.
He noted that striking a balance between protecting the economy
and public health was imperative in the fight against the
coronavirus pandemic.
According to the governor, easing the restriction on movement in
the state was a sequel to the treatment of the state’s index case
as well as 68 contact persons who tested negative for the lethal
virus.
Obiano said, “Like every other government, the Anambra State
administration is bound to protect its people from the ravages of
COVID-19 but it cannot afford to do so by unwittingly allowing
millions of its people to die of hunger and starvation or by
causing their businesses to collapse through an unmitigated
lockdown.
“The 28 days of lockdown, when all markets were shut down,
vehicular and human movements restricted, schools closed,
traditional religious services suspended, funerals, wedding and
title taking ceremonies practically stopped, have already taken an
enormous toll on the people’s well being.
“Social unrest must be avoided. If people in developed nations
could not accept more than three weeks of lockdown, despite the
immense social safety nets for the poor and the huge amounts paid
by governments directly to the citizens who lost their jobs in the
wake of COVID-19, we can imagine what the most vulnerable in our
society and elsewhere in Africa have been going through.”
He stressed that though the restriction has been eased, schools
were not open yet and civil servants were still working from home,
adding that no visitor was permitted into the state.