Clement Nnachi, Abakaliki
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has lifted the ban imposed on the operations of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, across the 13 local government areas of the state.
In a similar vein, Governor Umahi has relaxed the curfew imposed in the state by restricting it to only boundary locations in the state.
The governor said this, in Abakaliki, the state capital, on Tuesday, in a Special Live radio and television Broadcast on the outcome of the state security Council meeting .
According to him, “I hereby lift the ban on Okada and bikes in Ebonyi State, but not on border locations, restriction on the use of Okada and any means of passenger transportation movement is banned at the border locations.
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“Do not take your passenger vehicles to any of the borders, you will arrested and prosecuted.
“Ebonyi State’s curfew is now amended and now limited from 8:00pm -6:00am at border locations.”
Speaking against the backdrop of palliatives, Governor Umahi said that the government would soon roll out palliatives across polling units in the state .
On Coronavirus isolation Centers, the governor said that the state Isolation Centers located at Federal Teaching hospital Abakaliki and the Unity Square were now working .
He continued, “Ebonyi people are no longer restricted in their movement, but at their border location 300 metres radius, if you are seen at the border location 300 metres radius , you will be arrested under Ebonyi Civic 19 law.”
On the recent ban placed on Correspondents of The Sun newspaper, Mr. Chijoke Agwu and Mr. Peter Okutu of Vanguard newspapers by the Ebonyi state government, Governor Umahi pleaded with journalists to put behind them the recent impasse.
The governor had, last week, ordered the arrest of the two journalists and equally banned them for Life from entering the Ebonyi State Government House and government facilities in the state.
“I have directed that the unfortunate incident with press was not intentional but am asking everybody to disregard what has happened.
“Because we are all partners in progress and let us work together. But I will advise that you please cross check information.
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“There are certain write-ups that people are not happy about and that is why I said please let everybody down tools in love and work together.
“I specifically asked that The Sun and Vanguard reporters be invited,as a father when you beat a child with one hand ,you bring the child back with another hand.
“I want to invite the press for partnership and also ask them to also please help build the state.
“Nobody said you should do preferential reporting, nobody said you should not report the truth because our state is peculiar. Everybody has forgotten what happened let’s work together.”