Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, on Wednesday, denied reports making the rounds that he is in self- isolation after contracting coronavirus.
Akeredolu debunked the rumours after a security meeting with the State Commissioner of Police, Undie Adie, at the governor office in Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo State capital.
Akeredolu stated that there was nothing to hide about the disease and said: “if I were in isolation, I would not have been here to address you on the development in the state.”
There were speculations in the state that the governor has contact with some suspected patients of the dreadful coronavirus while in a meeting in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, said police would be deployed to across the state to enforce measures put in place by the state to curb the spread of the virus.
He expressed dismay over the attitude of some member of the public, who failed to comply with the directives by the state government.
He said the call for the adherence of the directives became imperative following the non-compliance to the order of the state government by the people of the state, especially market men and women.
He said: “We have observed that people that are selling non-essential commodities opened their shops.
“It became necessary for the governor to call this brief meeting on some of the observation that had been made and reported to him which has to do with the attitude of our people in regards to the health and safety of the people of this state with regards to the ravaging coronavirus.
“The government has ordered that markets and shops should be closed except those selling essential commodities like water, food and medicine.
“Our observation showed that shops where clothing items and other products were being sold opened for business, we are going to stop this.
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“Our personnel would be deployed to enforce the rules. It is not a permanent thing and people can go back to their business as soon as the situation improves,”
He warned shop owners to strictly take to the instructions and directives from the government, saying offenders will be dealt with.
“It has been observed that most people, particularly shop owners, have continued to open their shops, enabling people to go about shopping for things that are not even essential.
“We have resolved that announcement should be made to the good people of this state because we know they are very health conscious and they should observe the rules that had been rolled out by the state government to ensure the safety of the people.
“People should reduce to the barest movement to the market to buy things that are not essential,” he said.