BEING AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE GOVERNOR OF ONDO STATE ARAKUNRIN OLUWAROTIMI O. AKEREDOLU SAN, ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT ON COVID–19 IN ONDO STATE, ON WEDNESDAY 27TH MAY, 2020, AT THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE GROUNDS, ALAGBAKA, AKURE.


1. It is my pleasure to address you once again on
the status of our state on the Coronavirus
pandemic. There is no doubt that the past 10 days have also been some of our most challenging days so far. The successes recorded were also heart soothing and showed promises of brighter days ahead.

2. Let me refresh your memory about where we
stood last Monday when I addressed you. We had 20 cases only. 13 had been discharged, one dead and six in bed. Today, four more cases have been added, making a total of 24 cases. Among the additional four, only one was a case of interstate importation. It was a case of an individual of northern Nigeria extraction who travelled from Sokoto state to Ondo state. The second, third and fourth cases were those of community transmission. While the second case was discovered at Oluwatuyi Quarters, Akure and
reported by the Federal Medical Centre Annex,
Akure, the third case is an official of the Nigerian
Correctional Services who is resident in Ijoka
road, Akure. His case was reported by the
University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Akure complex. The fourth case was presented to the General Hospital Igbara Oke as a regular
patient of flu, fever, cough and other symptoms
similar to those of COVID-19. He died the same
night he was brought to the hospital. Not leaving
things to chances, our health workers ensured the corpse was tested for COVID-19 and the result came back positive. The corpse has since been buried in his hometown, Iragbiji, Osun State. Apart from contacting Osun State Government
accordingly, we have activated a wide line tracing
to arrest further infection and possible spread.

3. May I on behalf of the Government and people of Ondo state express our condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. We pray for God’s comfort and eternal guidance for all that he left behind.

4. Gentlemen of the Media, as I said earlier, in all,
Ondo state has recorded twenty-four confirmed
cases so far. Nineteen have now been successfully treated and discharged while two
deaths were recorded. Three are now on
admission, receiving treatment.

5. From all I have said concerning our four
additional cases, it is evident that the greatest
threat to our efforts is the poor response to the
protocols meant to prevent the spread of the
Virus. This has been the cause for the avoidable
community transmission of the pandemic. This
infection which takes the form of inter-state
importation and local inter-personal transmission ensures that the only option left for us is to be vigilant about human and vehicular trans border transportation. Without doubt, it also leaves us with the option to increase our compliance with the established standard response protocols to
this Pandemic.

6. While Government continues to attach great
importance to its incremental efforts at protecting our state from COVID-19, it is regrettable that the response of our people leaves much more to be desired. In terms of community ownership of the preventive measures as well as compliance to established protocols, our people are daily demonstrating half measures which are evidently not good enough. We cannot fight COVID-19 on our own terms and conditions. We cannot win this war in a manner considered favourable to individuals. We cannot live our lives pleasurably as before and hope that COVID-19 will go away on its own accord. We must sacrifice and dedicate ourselves to the approved measures to save our own lives and those of our loved ones.

7. In spite of all these, the State Government will
continue to take actions to relieve the people of
the pressures and pains inflicted by the times.
One of such key areas of concern to Government
is the spiritual and psychological wellbeing of the
people. There is no gainsaying that religious
worship appears to be the last hope of both the
high and low in our society. It is the common
leveller for all of us before God, the creator of
heaven and earth.

8. While most activities including human and
vehicular movement have been restricted,
government has been concerned with the state of religious activities. Recall that in my last address, I hinted of a deliberate effort by government to ameliorate the total lockdown of religious activities. I also promised to make a definitive statement on the position of Government on the matter.

9. We commenced the process of consultation and wide review with religious leaders and other
relevant stakeholders in the state. Our informed
conclusion is that the state should return to
guided religious worship and that if carefully
managed, casualty on account of such gatherings can be avoided.

10. In the light of this and taking into consideration the advantages of so doing, I hereby direct the resumption of guided and syndicated religious activities throughout the state. The implementation of this resumption of activities will be gradual and systematic.

11. As agreed with religious leaders, in specific
terms, worship centers are to commence their
main activities with effect from this Friday.
However, such approvals are not blanket and
without restrictions, rather they are to be guided
by the following which are derived from the
general response protocols on COVID-19
nationally:

12. Only weekly Friday Jumat services and Sunday Church services will commence in the first instance. Other daily programmes within the week are not yet approved for take off.

13. Religious leaders and administrators must ensure strict compliance with the social and physical distancing in the places of worship. In the case of churches, not more than three people are expected to sit on a pew while the equivalent
applies to the sitting positions in the mosques
and other worship centres as well.

14. Water and soap must be provided at all entries into the centres or halls of worship.

15. All worshipers must be made to wash their hands in the standard pattern approved and practised since the beginning of the pandemic.

16. Hand sanitizers must be provided and used by each worshipper at every entry point to the
centres and at other convenient points within the
premises.

17. All worshippers and workers inside the centres and within the premises must wear face masks properly for the duration of the service.

18. Churches, Mosques and other religious centres must regularly decontaminate and sanitise the premises, facilities and equipment before and after the services.

19. I wish to stress that Government has placed
appropriate machinery in motion to monitor and
ensure that these guidelines are implemented to
the letter. Cases of infringement, disregard or
wilful neglect of these extant regulations will be
considered as serious threat to the society and
will be sanctioned. Let me be more direct. Any
Church, Mosque or worship centre which fails to
obey the simple rule will be shut down immediately.

20. I believe there is no problem too big for God
almighty to solve. But we must understand and
believe that such solution begins with us and our
attitude. Prayers alone do not solve problems.
Rather prayers, faith and actions solve all
problems. I therefore urge all religious faithfuls
not to take the return of religious worship for
granted but see it as a step-in faith and commencement of the cleansing of our land.
Christian and Muslim leaders are also enjoined to use every opportunity in the services to educate, encourage and mobilise our people to obey and implement all COVID-19 response protocols.

21. Once again, our hearts go to the family of the
deceased. May the Lord help them and grant
them the fortitude to bear the loss of their loved
one.

22. Thank you all and may God Almighty bless Ondo state.


Source: https://www.ondoevents.com/covid-19-gov-akeredolu-approves-guided-religious-activities-read-full-speech/

Gradually, we're moving!

I just hope all the precautionary measures will be strictly adhered to.

Futa resume oo
House don tire me
I no stay at home again

May God help us in nigeria.... I don't have much to say

This is a giant and well appreciated move by our governor. I like paragraph 20 of the speech.

Amen