The governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has directed all public and private schools in the state to proceed on compulsory vacation with effect from Thursday, 26th March 2020 as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic.
In a statewide broadcast on Saturday, Governor Diri confirmed that there are no cases of coronavirus in the state, but announced the suspension of all gatherings at religious worship centres, night clubs and other forms of public gathering that are above 50 persons with effect from Monday, 23rd March 2020.
Senator Diri said that the action was taken in the interest of Bayelsa State, and announced the establishment of a multi-sectoral coronavirus Task Force charged with the responsibility to coordinating and implementing the state’s response to the pandemic.
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He assured he would directly oversee the activities of the Task Force, and further directed the chairmen of the eight Local Government Councils of the state to constitute a similar Task Force at the level to ensure the State’s response to the global pandemic gets to every Community.
He said: “as a responsive government, we have set-up a multi-sectoral Covid-19 Task Force charged with the responsibility of coordinating and implementing the state’s response to this pandemic.
“The State has strengthened it’s preparedness through public enlightenment and improving isolation centres at our Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) in Okolobiri.
“To further strengthen our resolve to protect our citizens, the State Government has taken the following decisions: All public and private schools in the state are directed to proceed on vacation with effect from Monday, 23rd March 2020. Let reiterate that there are no cases of Covid-19 in any part of Bayelsa State.”
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