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Today the committee again as usual has met and evaluated, accessed the measures of prevention so far taken and have come up with some further resolutions. My people of Bayelsa, Covid-19 is real and we cannot rest on our oars or pretend not to know that Covid-19 is real. First, let me appreciate Bayelsans and thank them for the level of cooperation within this period that preventive measures have been announced by the state government through this committee.
I thank you all for your level of compliance, I thank you all for the support that you have given so far to the state government and to the Covid-19 committee particularly, the implementation committee. However, we still have pockets of resistant, pockets of some groups that are disobeying the implementation committee and the policies so far read out. My dear Bayelsans, it is not yet uhuru for Bayelsa, even though the standing of Bayelsa today is still Covid-19 Negative. In other words, Bayelsa State has no case of Covid-19 but that does not preclude us to continue to push and protect our state and our people from the entrance of Covid-19 into our state. Base on that, the Bayelsa State Government with effect from today has put in regulations that will give thrift to all the pronouncements that have been made hitherto. Base on that, l your Governor will sign those regulations as an executive order from today. It is named the Bayelsa State Infectious Disease Emergency Prevention Regulations 2020.
Preamble, whereas the world health organization has designated coronavirus named Covid-19 disease as a pandemic spreading rapidly all over the world with devastating effects. Whereas on the 27th of February, 2020, an index patient in Nigeria was identified in Ogun state. Whereas since the offset date, there have been a steady raise in the number of persons who have tested positive to COVID-19. Both epidemiologist and virologist have projected that there will be a rise in the number of Covid-19 patients in the country. Whereas there has not been a confirmed case of Covid-19 in Bayelsa State but there has been a confirmed case of the disease in our neighboring state which shares common land and water borders with us. Whereas it has become imperative to go beyond making suggestions and giving directives in order to prevent a possible spread of Covid-19 into our state.
Properly identified Covid-19 case save lives, reduce ill health and ensure that the economy in which the people of Bayelsa State operate does not become weakened and over stretched. Now therefore, “I Senator Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State in the exercise of the power conferred on me in pursuant to the provisions of section 8 of the Quarantine act cap. Q2, laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004. Having regard to the provisions of sections 2, 3 and 4 and in further pursuant to all enabling laws and powers in that regard here by subject to the provisions of the constitutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended make the following regulations for the good order, safety, security and public health of Bayelsa State.
(1) The citation and commencement and application, these regulations maybe cited as the infectious Disease Emergency Prevention Regulations 2020 and shall come into force today the 2nd of April, 2020. All acts done prior to the commencement of these regulations to curtail the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 are hereby ratified.
Restrictions of movement; the Governor shall have powers to direct the restriction of movement within, into or out of local area particularly, the movement of persons, vehicles, aircraft and watercraft in water ways within the local area except for transportation or movement of essential supplies such as food, water, pharmaceutical products, medical supplies and medicines and any other essential supplies as the Governor may deem necessary. Movement for the purposes of procuring essential supplies such as food, water, pharmaceutical products and medical supplies and any other essential supplies as the Governor may deem necessary.
Movement of essential personal; power relating to events, gatherings and premises. The Governor may restrict or prohibit the gathering of persons in the local area such as, conferences, meetings, festivals, private events, religious services, public visits or such other events, except where the written approval of the Governor is obtained for such gatherings. Impose requirements for obtaining the written approval of the Governor for the gatherings of persons within the local area. Order the temporary closure of public places such as events centers, bars, places of worship, educational institutions and other such public places where gathering of persons occur within the local area. Order the temporary closure of markets except for food and water, manufacturers of food and water, manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and medicine, pharmacy and any other places rendering essential services as the Governor may deem necessary. Impose restrictions on the number of persons that may be present in a public place such as an event center and you remember, we have said the number should not be more than 20 observing the social distance rule.
For the purpose of sub-regulation.
(1) of the regulation, the Governor shall have powers to direct relevant security agency or agencies in the local area to break up any gathering of people, persons in the local government area and take into custody persons in such gathering in bridge of sub-section 1 for the purpose of screening and assessment and if necessary, for isolation in an isolation center within the local area.
Power over conduct of trade and commercial activities, same as otherwise provided in regulations 8.
(1) The Governor shall have power to restrict in whole or in part the conduct of trade, business and commercial activities within the local area for such period as the Governor may deem necessary.
Closure of educational institutions within the local area, the Governor shall have the power to order the closure of public and private educational and vocational institutions within the local area for such period as the Governor may deem necessary.
Power in relation to food stuffs and other essential supply chain, hoarding and price manipulation, the Governor may direct that no person shall hoard foods, drugs and other essential goods and services within the local area which of course suggest within our state Bayelsa or refuse to provide foods, drugs and other essential goods and services within the local area.
(2) It shall be an offense to artificially inflate the prices of food, drugs and other essential goods and services within the local area.
(3) It shall be an offense to hoard foods, drugs and essential goods and services within the local area or refuse to provide foods, drugs and other essential goods and services within the local area.
(4) Where a person bridges the directives under sub-regulations 1 and 2 of these regulation, the Governor may direct the seizure and forfeiture of the foods, drugs and other essential goods to the state and may in addition direct such for future of foods, drugs and other essential goods to be utilized for the purposes of elevating the supply needs of the local area and it goes on down to transportation, the powers to prohibit transmission of false information and base on that, the Governor may equally direct the medical practitioners and health workers within the local area to notify the governor through the Ministry of health or any other health officer charged with such responsibility of any person that present the symptoms of Covid-19 within the local area.
The omnibus powers,
(1) The Governor may, where he has reasonable grands to believe that members of the public in the local area are threatened by the imminent risk of being infected or contaminated by Covid-19 and that there is a risk that unless restrictions are imposed to mind the further contaminated or infected or the members of the public in the local area impose restrictions or requirement as may be necessary to curtail the spread of the disease. Without prejudice to the provisions of this regulation, the Governor shall have powers to issue directives and take all necessary action to prevent, protect, control and contain the incidents of transmission of Covid-19 within the local area. For the purpose of sub-section 2 of the regulation, such power may include
(A) Power to alter any person within the local area to stay at home for such time as the Governor may deem necessary.
(B) To deploy law enforcement officers to enforce directives relating to the restriction of movement or access to public spaces.
(C) To construct or allocate spaces as isolation centers, sanitary sanitations and sanitary anchorages as may be necessary.
(D) Power to temporary take over possession of any property for utilization as an isolation center or the storage of pharmaceutical and medical equipment or other products within the local area subject to the payment of adequate compensation.
Exercise of the powers of the Governor.
(1) All powers conferred on the Governor under this regulation maybe exercised by the Governor directly or through such other person or persons as the governor may designate in regard by an instrument in writing.
(2) Save as otherwise provided, the powers conferred on the Governor under these regulations may be exercised by way of oral or written declarations, notices or any other medium as the governor may deem necessary.
Offenses, any person who;
(1) Fails, neglect or refuse to comply with a restriction, prohibition or requirement imposed under these regulations.
(2) Provides false or misleading information intentionally or recklessly with a view to cursing panic or disaffection among members of the public.
(3) Obstruct any person carrying out his duties under these regulations.
(4) Does anything contrary to the provisions of these regulations.
(2) under the offense, shall be liable under the Quarantine acts cap. Q2, laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004 or the public health law, Cap. P 16, laws of Bayelsa State 2006 and the public health rules or any other extant law to a fine or a term of imprisonment or both such fine and imprisonment in accordance with extant law or laws.
Powers to alter, amend or sublimate regulations, the Governor may by regulations make,
(A) Consequential alterations or amendments to these regulations.
(B) Supplementary incidentally transitional or saving provisional in addition to these regulations as he considers appropriate. Dated this day 2nd April, 2020.
Arising from our meeting today, we have taken further resolutions and the resolutions this time effect our markets, conscious of the fact that we cannot afford to do a total lockdown of our markets, we have today decided to do a partial lockdown of our markets. Our markets will be partially closed but it will allow essentials such as food and pharmaceuticals to be sold particularly in our very large and big market the swali market and to enable our people to still survive, we have decided that open spaces can still be used for such trading to take place.
All markets are to be supervised by the Ministries of trade, health and environment and the environmental sanitation authority. Supermarket operating in Bayelsa should equally adopt and observe the rules of social distancing and provide either hand sanitizers or soap and water for people to wash their hands and observe the rules of cleanness. Again these are further and additional decisions that we have arrived at today, just to ensure the health of our people, just to ensure that our people are safe, just to ensure that Covid-19 has no place in Bayelsa State. We are covered by the blood of Jesus. Thank you and God bless you.