COVID-19: Governor Seyi Makinde Re-Opens Oyo State Secretariat

Oyo State government has declared that the State secretariat would be reopened on Monday 27th April 2020 to officers on Grade Level 13 and above who have separate offices.

Governor Seyi Makinde disclosed this on Saturday while briefing newsmen after a meeting of the State COVID-19 Task Force Team held at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, the State capital.

The State government, which had on April 13-15 carried out decontamination of the entire State secretariat ahead of the resumption, however, did not give any specific date for other cadres of workers to resume.

Makinde, who doubles as the State Chairman of the COVID-19 Task Force Team, also reeled out various measures put in place to prevent and contain the spread of the virus within the Secretariat and among the government workforce.

He said, “There will be new security measures in place including having only one gate to serve as entrance and exit. All other gates will be closed. All meetings will be held online. No visitors are allowed except absolutely necessary. There will be handwashing facilities in strategic locations around the secretariat.”

The Governor revealed that one 100ml hand sanitizer and face mask would be given to each officer and the bush canteens around the Secretariat would remain closed, as officers are encouraged to bring their own food for lunch, adding that posters and banners would be inconspicuous places around the Secretariat to revalidate guidelines for resumption.

Governor Makinde also noted that the 7 pm to 6 am curfew had been relaxed and would now be from 7 pm to 5 am, in order allow farmers access their farms ahead of the current planting season, adding that the farmers were already being sensitized on how they can stay safe as they farm during the period.

Concerning markets, Makinde said, “COVID-19 compliant guidelines will be provided for markets, including handwashing and wearing of face masks. Only markets which meet up with these guidelines will be allowed to reopen.”

The Governor also noted that arrangements had been concluded on how to share the palliatives by the State government, with 90,000 households identified as the poorest of the poor and 30,000 vulnerable households being targeted.

He asserted that the government would start taking delivery of the one million face masks being produced from Sunday and the face masks would be distributed for free to market men and women, artisans and civil servants.

Makinde commended the Minister for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, for the work being done at the national level to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the Federal Ministry of Health is decentralizing the accreditation of isolation/treatment centres to State level so that it could be quicker and more efficient.

He stated, “Based on this, the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital, Ibadan will be working with the Commissioner for Health, to set up a five-person accreditation team.”

“Finally, the patient at Agbami Chest Centre, Jericho will be moved to the Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo in order to upgrade the facilities at Agbami,” the Governor concluded.