Coronavirus: Governor Extends Lockdown Order By Additional Two Weeks

Bayelsa state governor, Douye Diri

The Bayelsa State Government has extended the sit-at-home order for an additional two weeks.

Governor Douye Diri said this during an enlarged meeting with members of the state’s COVID-19 Task Force and security agencies at the Government House, Yenagoa, according to a report by Punch.

Diri, who is the chairman of the task force, however, approved a slight adjustment to the lockdown to allow Christians to celebrate Easter.

The governor, in a statement by his acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, said the COVID-19 preventive measures would be reviewed every two weeks until stability was established.

Diri added that, as part of efforts to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus, the Nigerian Agip Oil Company and its joint venture partners had chosen Bayelsa as the site for the establishment of the COVID-19 health facility for the South-South zone.

Diri directed the Ministry of Lands to make land available for the project and announced the approval of “another N98m for the procurement of foodstuffs as palliatives to Bayelsans.”

The governor also highlighted donations made by some corporate organisations, including the United Bank for Africa (N28.5m), Niger Delta Development Commission (N100m), Sterling Bank (N100m) and the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (300 bags of rice).