Gov Obiano Speaks On Coronavirus Index & Contact Tracing

A Special Broadcast was aired by the Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano on Saturday, April 18, 2020, to Update Ndi Anambra on the Covid19 pandemic, contact Tracing and Progress of the Index Case.

Recall that one week ago, It was announced that Anambra state had recorded an Index-Case of the COVID-19 pandemic which led to a total lockdown extension in the state, in his speech Obiano announced that the Index Case is responding very well to treatment as the first post-treatment result from the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) returned Negative for SARS-CoV 2.

However, following the standards which have been rigorously applied by NCDC since the outbreak of the pandemic in Nigeria, he will go for a second round of test before he can be conclusively declared negative.

The number one citizen of the state further urged the citizens to continue to remember him in prayers as he fights his way back from this illness.

On Contact Tracing, Obiano pointed out that the medical team has successfully tracked 39 people who had direct contact with the Index Case. Out of this number, 5 are in the Protective Care Center while the rest are quarantined at home.

The people in Protective Care Center are stable and have shown no symptoms of the virus so far. Similarly, the people in Home Quarantine are being closely monitored in strict compliance with the WHO guidelines on COVID-19 containment.

Read Also: Gov Obiano Seeks More Support To Prevent COVID-19 From Anambra

Obiano also stated that 6 people out of the 39 contacts have tested negative for Coronavirus. These are people who met directly with the Index Case 14 days ago. Similarly, out of 20 samples tested for the virus from Anambra State so far, only the Index Case returned Positive, as the rest are negative.

Obiano urged that these result gives enough elbow room to fight this monster by adhering to the principles of Social Distancing, maintaining thorough personal hygiene and obeying government directives and policies on the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I have no doubt that if we keep the rules, we shall be in a good position to kick COVID-19 out of our dear state” he impelled.

Obiano further announced the Anambra State House of Assembly has successfully passed the Anambra State COVID-19 Law which has been accented to by the Governor.

He thanked Ndi Anambra for taking the inconvenience created by the COVID-19 pandemic with calm dignity and complying with government directives in the past one week, assuring that if they raise the level of compliance a little higher for the remaining week of this lockdown and ensure that there is no new case of the virus among us, the government will review the continued lockdown of the state.

Read Also: COVID-19: AFAIGBOBUOFU Donates 200,000 To Support Anambra Govt

To avoid losing concentration against Coronavirus, the governor re-strengthens the following measures as adopted against it –

1.    All boundaries with neighboring states remain closed. Only vehicles conveying essential commodities and supplies are allowed to enter Anambra State after a proper check and confirmation by Security Agents.

2.    All inter-city/inter-community movements in the State (e.g Awka-Onitsha, Onitsha-Nnewi, Ozubulu-Ihiala, etc) remain suspended. He strongly advised citizens to stay where they are until the lock-down is over.  For example, those in Awka should remain in Awka, those in Aguleri should remain in Aguleri, people in Nnewi should remain in Nnewi except when the movement is extremely necessary.

3.    All motor parks in the State remain closed.

4.    Food markets in Anambra State are to open only on Tuesdays and Fridays. Traders and customers in these markets must always maintain the principles of Social Distancing during the transaction process.

5.    The wholesale medical drug market (Ndi Ogbo Ogwu) in Onitsha is permitted to open only on Tuesdays and Fridays. Please note that any stores/shops located in the markets not dealing on food items or medical drugs remain closed. The security agents have been directed to ensure rigorous enforcement.

6.    Commercial banks in Anambra State are encouraged to maintain skeletal services, especially on market days.

7.    All farmers in Anambra State are directed to return to their farms with immediate effect. This is to allow them to participate fully in the current planting season. Urging Ndi Anambra to return to the farms because that is the only way we can fend the impending hunger that COVID-19 has created.

8.    Ndi Anambra are encouraged to wear face masks whenever they step out of their homes for any reason, wash their hands regularly with soap for at least 20 seconds each time, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers, cough/sneeze into folded elbows and practice Social Distancing at all times.

9.    People on essential services e.g. Health workers, journalists, and factory workers producing essential commodities are not affected by this lockdown. Security agents enforcing the lockdown order should take note of this.

10.      Ndi Anambra are advised to contact the Anambra State Public Health Emergency Operation Center immediately (PHEOC) once they feel unwell. The PHEOC numbers are 08030953771, 08145434416, 08117567363, 08058967320.

In his speech, Obiano added “COVID-19 has forced the world to prioritize its needs. In Anambra State, we are seriously looking at the effect of the pandemic on food supply while it lasts and in the near future. Consequently, we have come up with a short term plan that will ensure that food supply is not adversely affected in the state after COVID-19. To achieve this, we have taken the following steps” :

1.    Secured 3000 hectares of arable land in the agricultural belt of the state for large scale farming during this planting season.  This initiative is expected to take over 2000 youths off the labour market.

2.    Ordered the purchase of 7 Tractors to be deployed in the cultivation of the land.

3.    Empowering women and youths by providing them with cages for poultry and feedstock for birds.

4.    Commenced the distribution of agricultural inputs at subsidized rates to farmers.

Strict implementation of this initiative shall give us food security during this pandemic and afterward.

The world he said is going through an extraordinary time and the moment calls for acts that will renew and restore our faith in our humanity. It is as result of this that the government has decided to exercise Prerogative of Mercy and release 54 prisoners from the four correctional facilities in Anambra State. Hoping that this decision will not only bring hope and joy to some families but that it will also help to decongest the correctional facilities.

Speaking on the Nkpor Incident reiterating the clash between a group of youths and some security operatives at Nkpor that resulted in the unfortunate death of one person and injuries to others, he described as extremely regrettable. It is one avoidable incident which we must not permit to happen to us again.

The Government of Anambra State pledged to foot the medical bills of the injured as well as underwrite the burial costs of the deceased. However, in the interest of peace in our communities, he appealed to Ndi Anambra to refrain from anything that would lead to a head-on collision with the police.

He also appealed to the police to adopt best practices in dealing with the challenges that this difficult moment will most certainly provide. May the soul of the departed young man rest in perfect peace! Amen.

He specified that the government shall soon be handing out 400 bags of rice per community to each of the 181 communities in Anambra State. The bags of rice shall be distributed to the youths of these communities through the same channels that were used in distributing the ones meant for the senior citizens.

In appreciation of Donors and Communal Response to COVID-19, he stated that donations have poured in from individuals and groups who wish the state well, these donations, he said have not only come from the rich and mighty among us but also from the everyday people who struggle to feed their families.

That is the spirit of Igwe bu ike (the communal spirit). As a result of this, the new list of donors is long and shall continue to be updated online where everyone can see it. You may visit www.anaedoonline.com

The government is updated daily on the enormous relief materials distributed by kind-hearted people in various communities and they say “thank you” to everyone who has done that for the people. The Government alone cannot meet all the expectations of the people in these trying times. Dalunu o! Oga abalu unu o!

Ndi Anambra, in conclusion,” it should be clear to us now that we hold the key to our own peace of mind and to our collective survival. God has shown us tremendous mercy. It is up to us now to help ourselves by complying with the directive on lock-down for the remaining week of the exercise by maintaining Social Distancing, washing our hands with soap for 20 seconds, using alcohol-based hand-sanitizers, wearing a face mask whenever we step out of our homes and coughing/sneezing into our folded elbows” He urged.

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