COVID-19 LOCKDOWN:
LET'S REMAIN CALM, THE STORM WILL SOON BE OVER --- DR. MICHAEL NWOKO

Residents of Delta State have been urged to remain calm and continue to be supportive of government in the face of the present COVID-19 pandemic and the attendant difficulties occasioned by the Lockdown that has entered into it's fourth week.

The call was made today by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on health monitoring, Dr Michael Nwoko while answering questions on a Delta TV programme ''COVID-19 Update," on Friday April 24.

The SSA who is a member of the Covid-19 Enforcement committee in charge of border surveillance, praised the people of the State for the way they have conducted themselves in a peaceful manner so far, adding that the worst of the lockdown will soon be over.

Dr. Nwoko further asserted that although the pressure on the borders are high because of the numerous entry points into the State namely Alifekede, Abraka, Ologbo, Patani, Urhonigbe, Igbanke, Onitsha head bridge, Idumuje-Ugboko and the Illah area. He said the committee is working round the clock to achieve the desired goal of combating the virus. He alluded the success recorded so far in the lockdown to the resilience of Deltans and the uncommon focus and leadership of His Excellency, Sen. Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nwoko and his team were in Alifekede border, Wednesday April 22nd, 2020 as part of their routine border surveillance activities.

While they were carrying out their border surveillance activities at the Alifekede border, a vehicle which disguised as conveying food items was intercepted.

On interception, it was discovered that the vehicle was not conveying food products, but human beings, who claim they were coming from Lagos State with the aim of crossing into Delta State.
Luck ran out of them when the Security and road safety personnel as well as Dr. Nwoko and the Ika South Local Government Area Chairman, Barr. Victor Okoh intercepted them and took them through interrogations.

Speaking about the development, Dr. Michael Nwoko and his team who were on ground as always, in line with their COVID-19 border surveillance activities, said 'it was indeed a sad situation which calls for BORDER surveillance to be further strengthened adding that the fight against COVID-19 is a tough one and that measures put in place by the government to contain the disease must be enforced to achieved the required result of curtailing the spread of the deadly virus.'

On his part, the Chairman of Ika South Local Government Council, Barr. Victor Okoh said the vehicle has been asked to turn back with its occupant and maintained that the only vehicles allowed into the State are those genuinely conveying food, pharmaceutical and petroleum products. He commended the SSA for his commitment to duty by showing up regularly at the borders.

The indefatigable SSA and his team were at the Igbanke border once again to monitor activities there and ensure that the protocol on COVID-19 as regards border surveillance is strictly adhered to.

The SSA who was accompanied by the Executive Secretary of Ika South Local Government Health Authority, Dr Nwabuwa Adaeze Chinyere were received by the security personnel and health workers as well as the road safety personnel who were seen carrying out their assignment.

Dr. Nwoko took out time to supervise temperature checks at the border also educated some of the commuters on how to properly wash their hands and keep safe distance.

Dr. Nwoko admonished the health care and security personnel to ensure they always work in synergy as border enforcement was key in the fight against COVID-19.
They commended the SSA for the visit and promised to always put in their best.

In continuation of border surveillance activities in order to ensure that the protocol on COVID-19 at the borders is strictly adhere to, Dr. Nwoko and his team once again visited some borders between Delta and Edo State on Friday April 17th, Monday April 20th, and Tuesday April 21st,2020.

The borders visited were Alifekede border in Ika South Local Government Area and Idumuje-Ugboko Border in Aniocha North Local Government Area.

At Alifekede border, Dr. Nwoko who observed that the health workers and security personnel were in high spirit as they discharged their duties effectively said the whole idea is to ensure that before persons conveying items on the exclusion list like food products, pharmaceutical products and petroleum products are allowed into the State, they must go through the hand washing station and have their temperature checked as well as travel history and contacts documented. This is to ensure that no one will carry the virus into the State.

Dr. Nwoko said the documentation is to enable them to have effective surveillance contact in case of any reports.

He said the State Governor, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa is determined through the State Government Health Care Workforce, towards ensuring that the spread of the virus is curtailed

At Idumuje-Ugboko Border, Dr. Nwoko schooled commuters on the need for them to adhere strictly to the lock down order which is in their own interest
The commuters appreciated the SSA for his show of concern and were later taken through routine checks and documentation.

On ground at the Idumuje-Ugboko Ugboko Border were road safety personnel, security personnel from the Nigerian Polic Force and the health workers deployed to the border post.

Dr. Michael Nwoko, the SSA to the Governor on Health Monitoring and Member, Delta State COVID-19 Enforcement committee and his team were spotted at the Onitsha head Bridge border Friday April 24th, encouraging health workers not to relent in their efforts to ensuring that the protocol on COVID-19 as regards effective border surveillance is strictly adhered to and that all commuters on essential journey must adhere to the COVID-19 protocol irrespective of their social or political status.

The SSA and his team were once again at the Alifekede border on Saturday 25th April, 2020 where the SSA expressed satisfaction with the presence of the mobile court at the border. He commended his Excellency, the Governor for deeming it necessary to constitute the mobile court across the three senatorial districts in the State to prosecute violators of the lockdown adding that it has really helped to enforce the lockdown and border closure enforcement.

Hunger no dey look face when it wants to strike....it detonates the human mind.

Proper measures should be put in place to curb hunger in the land

Your right doc, but my nigga's been experiencin' the pangs of the belly bugs! Wha' we gon' do now?