The Ondo State governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, on Monday, disclosed that three of the five new COVID-19 cases recorded in the state are health workers who contracted the diseases in the course of their duty.
Akeredolu, who disclosed this while briefing the people of the state on the latest development on the pandemic, said the affected workers who are casual staff at the State Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) have been given full employment in the state civil service.
Aside this, the state government has also approved the immediate increment of hazard allowance for all state health workers by 50 per cent while health workers working directly with the isolation centre are to get additional 20 per cent of their hazard allowance as special risk allowance.
The governor, who described the three health workers as heroes, said: “I must quickly express our deep solidarity with the brave workers at our Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) who, in the course of saving other people’s lives, contracted this deadly disease.
“Both the driver who carries samples to test centres outside the state and the two casual workers in the wards took the highest risk in helping their fellow human beings. They are our heroes.
“These three individuals are junior workers in that establishment, yet their contributions are critical and very essential to all our operations to fight COVID-19. They faced the daily risks of worst dimension with candour. At the end, they are infected with the deadly virus.
“I want their families and loved ones to know that Ondo State government stands firmly with them and will walk with them through these difficult times until they recover and fully get back their daily lives. Their tribulation is our burden and their total recovery will be our joy.”
“To further demonstrate our understanding and total commitment to supporting the frontline risk bearers, I have directed immediate absorption into the public service of the infected casual workers at the IDH.”
He however, directed that all markets and stores across the state should be closed, just as he directed the total blockade of all the boundary routes that connect the state.
Akeredolu said the steps became imperative to control the influx of people whose health status cannot be guaranteed, while noting failure and disregard to the social distancing rules in commercial places.
The governor however, declared two out of seven days in a week, Tuesday and Thursday, for market activities within towns in the state, while main perishable food supply depots in each of the city centres in the state will open for business on Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week.
“Daily experiences of mindless disregard for social distancing in our markets and commercial places beat one’s imagination as to why, in spite of evidences of danger and government’s daily appeal, our people still insist on endangering their own lives and those of their families as well as their loved ones.
“A drive through Oja Oba, Isinkan, Oluwatuyi and Iloro markets in Akure, the state capital, paints a sad picture of an open invitation to the deadly COVID–19.”
He declared that “to this end, ban is hereby placed on daily major and community market activities across the state.”
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING
Clarence Peters Invited For Questioning Over Dancer, Kodak’s Death
Popular video director, Clarence Peters, Tribune Online gathered, has been invited for questioning by the Lagos State Police Command, over the death of dancer, Love Divine, popularly known as Kodak, who was electrocuted in his studio. Kodak, who is a popular dancer within the Nigerian music scene, allegedly died of… Read full story
MONDAY LINES: Death And Dying Emirs
DYING is nothing; choosing the right time to die, if we can, means a whole lot. This coronavirus season is a very wrong time to go – undisturbed. You die now, you leave importunate questions blowing in the air. The Emir of Kaura-Namoda in Zamfara State died on Sunday morning. Was he a victim of COVID-19, the current… Read full story
EDITORIAL: The Kano Mass Deaths
AMID the ongoing efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic in the country, a strange cloud has enveloped Kano State. In the last three weeks, the state has witnessed massive deaths of people in very controversial circumstances. The deaths first became public knowledge following the release of a video clip… Read full story
and then