Akwa Ibom governor warns against violation of 8pm to 6am curfew

Governor, Udom Emmanuel, says the idea of random testing for COVID-19 in the state is a waste of government resources.

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom state has warned the citizens and residents against violation of the 8 pm to 6 am curfew imposed in the state as part of measures to check criminal activities and the spread of the ravaging novel COVID-19.

Emmanuel who gave the warning Sunday evening during his routine Radio and Television interaction with the citizens said apart from those on essential duties, anybody caught outside after 8 pm or before 6 am would be treated as a criminal.

He stressed that the Akwa Ibom state government decided not to relax the curfew due to state the influx of people through the waters as a result of the location of the state.

His words, “Curfew in Akwa Ibom State is 8 pm-6 am, and not 10 pm to 4 am. Don’t violate it because we are doing our own based on our location which is different from other places. We have the longest shoreline in this country. A lot of people say things without knowing what we go through.

“We have a lot of locations to monitor because of including people especially coming in through the waters. When they come in and you test them, the test result of most of them come out positive. So please stick to 8 pm. This is also to check criminal activities in the state.

“So if you are not on essential services and we see you outside by that time, we will treat you like a criminal. Also those in the market please obey the guidelines we have set for the markets. However Livestock markets remain closed. I will review the situation on June 30th and then give advice on what next to do”

The governor who urged the indigenes of the state residing in other states to stop bringing corpses to the borders because they would not be allowed into the state said government would announce when it would open the social space for weddings, burials, and other social gatherings.

He explained that for now, he has set up a small team of medical experts to study the behavioural pattern of the COVID-19 that would help in the management of the disease, adding that government was being cautious so that the situation doesn’t overwhelm the state.

He added that he was in a haste to find a solution on how to manage the situation in public schools in the state in order to send the pupils and students back to School, adding that he was not convinced that the state has got the best out of the Radio School programme put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am so worried about reopening of Schools because it is not all that can benefit from our Radio School programme; the very reason we didn’t do the ICT Methodology of getting across to our pupils and students. This is not all parents can afford smartphone, television.

“But we can’t just allow our children to suffer this long without going back to school. And whatever studies we are doing now to see how we can reopen public Schools we are going to consider the different age brackets. These are some of the challenges that we have”

While responding to a question on how someone could be involved in the Coconut business established in the state, governor Emmanuel disclosed that the state was expecting experts from about four countries to come and put the refinery in place and train the citizens on how to run the business.

A lot of people are expressing interest in our Coconut Refinery. As at today the Coconut plantation, Refinery is still owned 100percent by Akwa Ibom state government. We have not privatised it yet but if we can have like a grant, or even a loan we wouldn’t mind, so that we can complete the project.

“After the completion, then we will take a decision about the privatisation. We will make it public to all Akwa Ibomites who are willing to buy shares. It is going to be a cash cow for the state”, the governor responded.