Delta Government said on Wednesday that it would take stringent measures to ensure full compliance with prescribed protocols for averting the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, made this known in a media briefing in Asaba.
He said that some of the measures included establishment of more mobile courts to handle defaulters of the protocols and introduction of new COVID-19 guidelines to ensure that the spread of the virus was checked in the state.
Aniagwu asserted that “COVID-19 is not a death sentence” and urged the people to freely go for screening for the virus.
He disclosed that “the first family of the state appreciates all Deltans for your prayers and the show of love.
“The governor and his family are doing very well; he is in very high spirit and he has said that all ongoing projects must continue.’’
“Based on the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, more stringent measures will be taken to ensure compliance; COVID-19 is real and more mobile courts will be established to try those who flout the protocols.
“Also, a task force to ensure compliance will be set up and any hotel, bar or restaurant that flouts the protocols will be shut down.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), we had a zoom meeting and as a government, we will not watch individuals endanger the lives of others; we will come up with new protocols that will be enforced by the task force.
“We cannot fold our hands and allow our people suffer from COVID-19; tricycles and commercial buses that flout the directives on the number of passengers will be impounded.
“In churches and other public places, there must be reasonable social-distancing, and if you have a shop and you continue to attend to people without masks, your shop will be closed down.
“In less than one month, we have more than 1, 200 infected persons and by not adhering to those protocols, you continue to put the lives of others at risk; the earlier we adhere to the protocols and stamp out COVID-19, the better for us,” the commissioner added.
