Lagosians have been
given a stern warning by, Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu as lockdown ease
commences today.
He said this on Sunday while giving
an update on the management of COVID-19 in Lagos.
“We are not going from zero to
hundred. I would caution that we still remain at home, if we truly are able to
continue to work remotely and away from the office. We should only be out,
unless it is absolutely necessary to be out,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He confirmed that the gradual and
controlled easing of the lockdown will last for six weeks, in three phases of
two weeks each.
Sanwo-Olu said that the goal was to
enable the State achieve a balance between the protection of lives and the
sustenance of livelihoods.
The Governor said that following
each phase, the Federal and State Governments would review the situation and
further adjust the response.
He restated that starting Monday,
for the next two weeks, there would be a curfew across the state from 8p.m. to
6a.m. daily.
According to him, all movement in
and out of Lagos is prohibited, except for people carrying out essential
services or transporting essential products such as agro-products, petroleum
products, relief items, construction materials and registered courier services.
He added that all public servants in
the entire Lagos State Public Service were to remain at home on Monday, May 4,
2020.
Sanwo-Olu said that from Tuesday,
May 5, 2020, only critical staff on Grade Levels 15 and above, and who had also
been specifically adjudged as critical staff by their Accounting Officers would
be expected to go to work.
“Frontline workers across all levels
are, however, expected to continue working. In the same vein, all staff of the
local government and local council development area offices in the state are
expected to remain at home at this time, unless directed by their LGA or LCDA chairmen.
“All open markets and stores will be
allowed to operate on alternate days between the hours of 9a.m. and 3p.m.
Markets and stores selling food items will open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays, while markets and stores selling all other items, excluding food,
will open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
“Private sector companies and
businesses will be permitted to operate within a limited framework. What this
means is that any offices and businesses that choose to open are allowed to
open only between 9a.m. and 3p.m. daily; and must limit the number of staff on
the business premises to no more than 60 per cent of full capacity at any point
in time,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu encouraged companies to
operate flexible systems such as combining a work-from-home policy with shifts
for staff who had to be in the office.
He urged banks to offer full
complement of services to the public, manufacturing and construction companies
to operate between 9a.m. and 6p.m, while such companies that had to operate
outside these hours must obtain a waiver from the Lagos State Government.
According to him, eateries and
restaurants will be allowed to open between 9a.m. and 7p.m, but only for
take-out and delivery services. No in-dining services will be permitted.
“All places of worship, formal or
informal, are to remain closed from any form of assemblage or congregational
services, until further notice. All schools, at primary, secondary and tertiary
levels, remain physically closed. Private school proprietors and parents/guardians
are encouraged to have meaningful dialogue regarding the delivery of education
through various online and digital channels.
“All recreational parks, spas,
salons, public gyms, swimming pools and sporting facilities shall continue to
remain closed until further notice. Hotels are to remain closed till further
notice. However, those hotels being used by the state government to accommodate
frontline medical personnel, as well as those hotels designated and being used
as quarantine and isolation centres are wholly exempted from this directive,” he stated.
Sanwo-Olu said that
commercial/commuter operations within Lagos State shall be between the hours of
6a.m. and 7p.m. daily.
“This applies only to motor
vehicles. All commercial motorcycle operations in Lagos State are hereby
suspended until further notice. Tricycles operating in unrestricted areas must
not carry more than two passengers per trip.
“All of the above directives and
restrictions I have outlined must be underlined and accompanied by the
following mandatory practices of the use of face-masks everywhere in public and
strict adherence to personal hygiene practices. Nose and mouth must be covered
when sneezing or coughing; hands must be washed or sanitised regularly; and no
handshakes or hugs.
”We are encouraging all Lagosians to
be on the lookout for those who flout these orders and directives, and to
report them to the Hotline, by calling or sending a text message to the
following numbers: 09010513197 or 09010513198 or 09010513199,” he added.
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