Plateau Covid-19 Trust Fund account hits N100m, says Gov Lalong

The Plateau State Governor, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong said with effect from 17 May, 2020, the total lockdown in the state will resume from every Sunday midnight and be relaxed every Wednesdays 12 midnight. This will henceforth be the pattern until further review.

The governor announced this during a state wide broadcast held at the Mini Banquet Hall of the Presidential Lodge, old Government House, Rayfield, Jos.

Lalong said, the task force on Covid-19 response has taken note of the need to review the lockdown in the state for citizens to have access to essential services.

According to Lalong, "With effect from 17th May 2020, the total lockdown will resume from midnight of every Sunday and be relaxed on Wednesdays 12 midnight"

"This will henceforth be the pattern until further review. In order words, the total lockdown is relaxed on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays; while Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays remain totally locked down".

"Restriction on all inter-local Government movements shall continue to apply except for those on essential services as earlier enumerated".

"The use of facemasks in public places remains compulsory, and anyone found not using one outside his home would be arrested and charged to the mobile court".

"To ensure better enforcement and compliance, Government will henceforth enroll some of its civil servants for the exercise. Accordingly, the Head of Service has been directed to immediately deploy civil servants from grade levels 10-14 to various points across the State".

"Local Government Chairmen are to also replicate same in their domains to ensure effective coverage of the entire State".

"The ban on all illegal markets such as the Sunday markets on Ahmadu Bello Way, Bukuru and environs shall remain in place indefinitely, while Social joints, Nightclubs, drinking parlours are to remain closed".

"The Faringada Market continues to defy all guidelines for social distancing and sanitation, and poses potent threat to our efforts to defeat COVID-19. Therefore, the market will be shut down until the trader unions and the Management of Jos North Local Government come up with an acceptable model for regulation that poses no risk to public health and safety".

"Religious gatherings shall continue to have not more than 50 persons, while social distancing, hygiene and sanitation regulations shall continue to apply"

"All these decisions are without prejudice to the overnight curfew instituted by the Federal Government from 8pm to 6am", he said.

The governor called on the local government chairmen of the 17 LGAs to also replicate same measures in their respective localities.

Lalong also used the medium to thank various individuals and corporate organizations that have contributed to Plateau Covid-19 Trust Fund, according to him, "Let me at this moment thank the various individuals and corporate organisations that have contributed to the Plateau COVID-19 Trust Fund both in kind and in cash. We have realised almost 100 million naira in donations and I re-assure you that we shall deploy it transparently".

"In particular, I wish to appreciate the Speaker and Honourable Members of the Plateau State House of Assembly for donating 50 percent of their May salaries to the COVID-19 Trust Fund. The Chairman and Members of the Plateau State Council of Traditional Rulers and Emirs also donated food items to the fund. We are very grateful".

"On the profiling and return of Almajiris children, which commenced on 26th April 2020, we have made a lot of progress. So far, we have returned a total of 601 Almajiris to their States of origin to be tested, reunited with their families and properly cared for. The States include Kaduna (38), Bauchi (419), Kano (92), Jigawa (47), Gombe (5)".

"We have also received (119) Almajiris from other States. We received (108) from Nasarawa State and (11) from Gombe State, who have been profiled, and tested. Out of this number, only one (1) tested positive to COVID-19 and is receiving treatment in one of the isolation facilities. The rest have been reunited with their families".

"Within the State, we have profiled 36 Almajiris who are indigenes of Plateau State and have been tested and returned them to their families. 25 are from Quan-Pan, while 11 are from Wase Local Government Areas,"

"Let me again stress that the decision to carry out this evacuation was a collective one taken by Governors of the".

"Northern States during the meeting of the Northern Governors Forum in order to guarantee the safety of these children who were exposed to many dangers, including COVID-19", Lalong stated this.

He call on the citizens to shun stigmatization, discrimination and avoid spreading fake news, as such may cause serious challenge against the fight of the pandemic.

Lalong said, with the measure put in place by the state government, the Covid-19 has been largely tamed in Plateau. With more effort, we can eliminate new infections and transmission.