Governor, State of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola has urged the Federal Government to extend the lockdown measures to other states of the federation as panacea to eliminate the spread of the Coronavirus otherwise known as COVID-19.
He said this against the background of the three new confirmed cases in the state as at Tuesday, 31 March, 2020.
It was gathered that the three new cases are part of the 127 returnees from Cote d’ivoire, who have been at an Isolation centre in Ejigbo. The three new cases returned positive after 24 suspected cases were tested.
Speaking on Tuesday night, Oyetola said the total lockdown of the country was necessary to avoid what he termed trans-border transfer of the virus.
The governor insisted that the only way to properly safeguard entry and exit into the country and between states in the country was to announce a total lockdown in the country.
Oyetola spoke while lending his voice on a special programme tagged “Journalists Hangout” on TVC, on Tuesday evening.
“The war against Coronavirus must be total. We should not be concentrating on three or few states alone. We should see this as a national emergency.
“I am advocating for a total lockdown so that what is happening in Lagos, Ogun and FCT can be extended to other states as a better way to curb the spread of the Coronavirus.
“About four days ago, my colleague governor in Ogun State, alerted me to the fact that some Nigerians of Osun origin were coming in from Cote d’ivoire. I thanked him for his efforts because he also provided escort for them to be conveyed to us.
“We immediately received them on arrival and kept them in an Isolation centre in Ejigbo. By Tuesday, out 24 samples that were tested, three are already positive. So you can imagine what the other outcomes will look like by the time we get the results of the remaining 103 samples.
“So we should look beyond Lagos, FCT and Ogun, if we must adequately contain the spread of the virus. I want Federal Government to come to the aid of the states. As it is, most of the states do not have the facilities to combat the disease.
“As we all know, most of the states are struggling to pay salaries, like us in Osun, in spite of the fact that we are struggling to pay salaries, we have purchased seven new ventilators and set up isolation centres. So FG should come to our aid.”
Governor Oyetola appealed to Nigerians particularly the people of Osun to adhere to the ‘Stay at Home” directive put in place by the state, saying the measure was ordered in the interest of the state and the citizens.
“I want to appeal to our people to stay at home, that is the only way to contain the spread of the virus because there is no two ways to it.
“Though, there are confirmed cases, but if we obey this rule, it will be very easy for us to contain the spread, because we will be able to know who and who is infected, and treat them.
“The cases we have for now are stable. They are receiving adequate medical care. We have also set up the State’s Food and Relief Committee to help cushion the effect of the lockdown,” Oyetola added.
