Lokoja
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state has ordered the closure of public and private schools (tertiary, secondary and primary) in the state, indefinitely,to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease in the state.
Bello, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed in Lokoja on Friday, said the closure and gathering would take effect from Monday.
Mohammed said the governor also banned all forms of gathering involving 30 people to guard against the global pandemic.
According to Bello, the measures become imperative, given the strategic location of the state which serves as transit point for travellers connecting various parts of the federation.
The governor urged the people of the state to be cautious and observe high level personal hygiene practice such as constant hand washing with soap and use hand sanitizers as well as observe social distancing.
He said: ‘As part of its preparedness, the state government has set up an isolation centre in Lokoja, the state capital and an Emergency Response Team has been constituted too.
“At the moment,sensitisation and awareness are being created on the disease, through the media as well as in parks, markets and community levels”.
Bello added that the state government was leveraging on the existing house-to-house Lassa Fever campaign to take the message on COVID-19 to the grassroots.
He disclosed that the state government had also provided the following emergency telephone numbers for rapid response:08064469625, 07067918835, 08030607102, 08034732988, 08076288933.