The Ekiti State government has announced the relaxation of its COVID-19 restrictions to allow religious centres, schools and markets to reopen and travel to and from the State to resume.
Governor Kayode Fayemi said that the decisions were taken following an assessment of the current situation and advices from experts.
Mr Fayemi stated that residents of the State could move around freely during weekdays from 6:00am to 8:00pm, maintaining that dusk to dawn curfew will be enforced from 8:00pm to 5:59am every day of the week.
The government also ended the ban on travels to and from the State, but maintained that ban on public gathering exceeding 20 people for social, political and business gatherings remain in effect.
Governor Fayemi approved the resumption of once a week worship services beginning from July 17, warning that there must be compliance with regulations, including social distancing, handwashing and using face masks.
“A Taskforce will go round to assess the level of compliance and issue a Certificate of Readiness before centres can reopen… Any worship centre that violates the laid down protocols will be shut down and the cleric prosecuted,” Fayemi stated.
The Governor said that the re-opening of schools would begin from July 20, with terminal classes — Primary 6, JSS 3, SS 3. He added that other classes would resume when it is safe.
“A certificate of readiness showing that a school has adhered to all the conditions required for school reopening will be issued to all schools before they can reopen.”
On what the government has done to ensure that schools are safe for the students, Governor Fayemi said “we are embarking on a quick rejuvenation of our schools to ensure that basic facilities such as water, sanitizer, soap and other facilities to aid hygienic practices are in place. I have also directed that all the schools should be fumigated and kept safe for our students before reopening.”
The government said markets including Oja Oba and Oja Bisi in the state capital would be opened only to lock-up shop owners and when all guidelines are adhered to. Mr Fayemi said traders without stalls should move to Awedele Market.
” Market leaders should contact necessary authorities on how to secure stalls for affected traders, ” he noted.
Mr Fayemi warned that security officials have been directed to arrest persons not adhering the use of facemasks in public places.
“The COVID-19 Prevention Regulation is still in force and anyone caught in violation will be punished in line with the regulations,” the Governor affirmed.
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