Delta hands over lady, driver for COVID-19 tests, opens food bank, tasked on fumigation

•Officials sacrifice one-month pay as palliatives
The Delta Police Command has arrested and handed over a returnee lady from Cote d’Ivoire and her driver at Udu Local Council to the relevant authorities for COVID-19 tests, warning that any officer found extorting motorists and commuters during the 14-day lockdown in the state would face the full wrath of the law.

Its Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, disclosed this yesterday to The Guardian in Asaba while updating on the compliance with the order announced by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Besides, the state government has established a food bank to cushion the effects of the stay-at-home order.

The Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, flanked by his Bureau for Special Duties counterpart, Mofe Pirah, and chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, Itiako Ikpokpo, said the decision was taken at an enlarged meeting of the Central Committee on Managing and Containing the Coronavirus Pandemic in Delta, presided over by the chairman and governor of the state.

He added: “As part of sacrifices by those in government, all political appointees in the state would forfeit their one-month emoluments to provide palliatives to the people.”

However, those in the border towns of Alifekede, Mbiri, Ologbo and Idumuje Ugboko have been urged to be more vigilant to check visitors who might want to infiltrate their settlements and expose them to the epidemic.

Pirah gave the charge while acknowledging donations, especially food items to compliment government’s efforts, from several public-spirited organisations in the state.

He clarified: “The state government is not going to give cash. What every home needs now is food, and we have been receiving food items and different donations from individuals and corporate organisations at our food bank in Ibusa.

“Food will get to the needy, but we should be patient and know that the lockdown will soon come to an end.”

In a related development, the Anioma Youth Forum Worldwide (AYFW) has urged the governor to fumigate the entire state as an enduring preventive measure against diseases.