…Movement, businesses now Mondays to Fridays, 6am to 8pm daily
…Consultations underway to reopen worship centres, big markets, schools
…Commissions testing laboratory Monday
Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, on Sunday, relaxed the lockdown in the state, saying effective Monday, June 1, residents would have the opportunity to go about their businesses through Fridays from 6:00am to 8:00pm daily.
Governor Fayemi who disclosed this in a broadcast, on Sunday evening, also revealed that consultations were underway to reopen religious worship centres, schools and big markets in the state.
Also with effect from Monday, public officers on Grade Level 8 and above would resume for duty while those on Grade Level 7 and below were to remain at home till further notice.
He stressed that the dusk-to-dawn curfew would resume daily at 8:00pm and will last till 5.59am of the following morning.
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The Governor said he will commission the Mobile Molecular Testing Laboratory procured by the state COVID-19 Resource Mobilisation Committee headed by former Health Minister, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, on Monday.
Governor Fayemi urged residents to give maximum support to the medical experts conducting the tests as modalities have been devised to ensure a seamless exercise.
He said, “I therefore urge you to willingly submit yourselves for testing when the officials get to your neighborhood.
“This also provides an opportunity for those who might have had symptoms associated with COVID-19 to freely come out for testing at no cost to them.”
According to him, the existing restrictions on human and vehicular movement would continue to be observed in accordance with existing regulations contained in the Ekiti State Coronavirus Diseases (Prevention of Infection) Regulations 2020.
The Governor also reiterated his earlier order that all Ekiti boundaries would remain on complete lockdown daily pending further review at the national level.
Speaking on the likelihood of resumption of public worship centres, Governor Fayemi promised that religious centres would reopen ‘very soon’ revealing that a committee would be engaging with religious organisations to fashion out a workable protocol.
The workable protocol, he said, would enable religious houses to reopen very soon without jeopardising the lives and health of worshippers.
On the fate of schools in Ekiti, the governor explained that efforts to reopen them are also ongoing “as the committee set up to appraise the protocols, resources, conditions and modalities for reopening has concluded its work.”
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The governor also said the state government was considering reopening major markets to permanent shop owners, after the outcome of the engagement process that is ongoing on the relocation of roadside traders to available alternatives.
The reopening of the major markets, the governor said further, would be subject to compliance with specific conditions and protocols that are being determined.
On when the state would totally open up its economy, Governor Fayemi said, “Once the report of the random testing shows that we are safe generally, it would further give fillip to our confidence to fully open up our state and return to our normal way of life.”
He expressed delight that appreciable progress has been made in the fight against COVID-19 since the second wave of lockdown a month ago, partly in consonance with national strategy to ban interstate movement, which makes review of existing regulations necessary.
Governor Fayemi disclosed that Ekiti State has so far recorded 20 cases in all with 16 of the patients successfully treated and discharged with only two active cases left at the State Isolation Centre while two cases were lost.
He added that about 300 contact tracing were done with over 200 persons tested so far in the state.
The governor expressed gratitude to front line medical personnel, task force team, security agents, the COVID-19 Response Resource Mobilisation Committee and the general public.
He also appreciated the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) led by Alhaji Aliko Dangote for its contribution, donation and the Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu-led National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for its technical assistance.
