Calabar-Itu
The fight against escalation of the pandemic Coronavrus reached the peak in Cross River on Tuesday when the Governor of the state,Prof. Ben Ayade,took to vigil to free the state from the grip of the pandemic Coronavrus ravaging most nations at present.
Duaglobalnews gathered that the vilgil took place at the boundary between the state state and Akwa Ibom State, personally to ensure that the various measures mapped out to guard against the pandemic disease has executive bite for meaningful results.
Nigeria, which has lost almost half of its 36 states and FCT to the pandemic disease, has so far recorded 254 cases with Lagos state leading with 44 cases since the disease brokeout in Wuhan, China on December 27, 2019.
The on the online medium also gathered that the governor,who arrived the Calabar-Itu head bridge before mid-night on Tuesday, spent several hours with members of the State Covid-19 task force, departing at about 9a.m on Wednesday.
The development led to long lines of vehicles on both sides of the boundary, with members of the taskforce preventing movement across the boundary.
Ayade,who spoke with journalists at the event said he was denied himself sleep so that the people of the state could sleep.
“We will know no sleep so that our people can sleep. It is for the sake of their own security and safety that we are all out here,”he stressed.
He added that he led the enforcement, personally, to ensure that the boundary was totally locked down, in line with his directive to ensure the state remains COVID-19 free.
The governor also said the strict enforcement of the order was borne of the realisation that all of the neighbouring states had recorded incidences of coronavirus infections.
At about 8a.m the following morning, the Governor personally screened trapped vehicles, allowing only those on essential services, including newspaper distributors to make it through the boundary, after being tested by medical personnel.
The online publication further gathered that those considered to be on non-essential services, were turned back.
The governor, who promised to embark on a similar exercise at the border between Cameroon and the state, said he felt the pulse of the team enforcing the lockdown, hence the need for him to take part in the exercise.
“Our ambition is to have zero incidence of Coronavirus in the state. While other states are locking down, we are locking out. We are locking out because inside our state, we are safe and free.
“Those who locked down, locked down with the virus but for Cross River, we are locking out, not locking down. That way, we are staying safe.”
Contributing the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Anozia Uche, who accompanied the governor, lauded him for the preventive measures aimed at keeping the state free from the COVID-19.
“The Governor and the rest of us have come here, at this particular time, to ensure that the measures put in place are actually obeyed and enforced. I am impressed with what he has seen.
