Religious Gatherings Will Remain Closed In Ogun-Abiodun

State on lockdown Saturdays and Sundays
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has said that the ban placed on worship centres in the state earlier scheduled to be ralxed from June 19 and 21 respectively for mosques churches have been shelved.

In a broadcast to the people of the state Friday,he said that figures from infections which he said is now community spread is not encouraging.

The governor said that the choice among various options is to save the life of the citizens of the state more so when a cure is yet to be found for the disease.

As a result, he said movement s are still allowed from Monday to Saturday within the state,while curfew imposed between 10pm-4am daily is still in force.

Besides,he said wearing of face masks in the public is still mandatory while interstate travel travel are still in force. Below is his full speech.

ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE GOVERNOR OF OGUN STATE,
HIS EXCELLENCY, PRINCE DAPO ABIODUN MFR,
ON UPDATE AND EFFORTS TO COMBAT COVID-19 PANDEMIC
ON FRIDAY, 19TH JUNE, 2020

My dear people of Ogun State.
​
Let me start with the update on the current COVID-19 situation in our State as reflected in the medical statistics. As at Monday, 15th June, 2020, we have recorded a total of 586 positive cases as against a total number of316 on the 4th of June, an increase of 270 or over 85% in just 14 days. Put more succinctly, the number of cases recorded from first index case on 27thFeb to 4th June – a period of 98 days – has almost doubled in just 14 days. On the positive side, a cumulative total of 315 patients have been successfully treated and discharged, representing 54% of the total positive cases. This number stood at 168 in my last update on Friday, 5th June, indicating a discharge of 147 in the last 14 days. Within this period, we have painfully recorded an additional 6 more deaths, bringing the total to 15, an increase of over 66% compared to 9 as at the last update. We beseech God Almighty to repose the souls of the departed and grant their families the fortitude to bear the painful loss.

2.​The above speaks for itself – community transmission is on the increase. And regrettably, in spite of the spirited efforts of the government to create awareness about the deadly nature of the pandemic and the guidelines in place to flatten the curve of the spread, the compliance level of our people is still very much below expectation. Many are yet to appreciate that there is a new normal that demands a new way of life that is not optional and is also an individual responsibility in the final analysis. I wish to emphasise that the figures of the dead from COVID-19 related complications or the sick may appear to many as just mere statistics, but to those who are directly impacted, these are not just numbers, but caring spouses, loving fathers or mothers, sisters, brothers and cherished relatives. The intention here is not to scare us, but to drive home the point that COVID-19 is real, and we have a collective and individual responsibility to work together to tame it – through compliance with the guidelines.

3.​The challenge posed by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic is multi-faceted. Apart from the generally known facts that there are no vaccine or cure yet, the trajectory of the spread of the virus is also a moving target, despite the best efforts at arresting the spread of this highly infectious and deadly enemy.

4.​It is with this consideration in mind that our approach in Ogun State has been cautious, deliberate, methodical, and guided by data analysis, feedback from the field, and expert opinions of medical scientists. Underpinning our approach also, is continuous review of the situation and curtailment efforts, engagement with stakeholders and regular update of the public. Since COVID-19 is a global challenge, we also stay tuned to COVID-19 related developments both in other States within our shores and also around the world. One key lesson is that those who relaxed the restrictions too early are paying dearly and hurriedly re-imposing even tougher measures than those lifted prematurely. Unfortunately, the consequences for the hasty decision are human lives that could have been saved or ailments that could have been avoided.

5.​In my last briefing, we were considering a tentative date of Friday, 19th June, 2020 to further ease the restrictions and allow gradual opening of places of worship on Fridays and Sundays. Towards this end, we have had robust engagements with the religious leaders – Christian Association of Nigeria and the League of Imams and Alfas. I must thank them for their forthrightness, cooperation and even appreciation that the curve of the spread of the pandemic is worsening and that places of worship represent most potent fertile grounds for the spread of the deadly virus.

• 6.​After a careful review of the data, feedback from the field, expert opinions, and lessons from far and near, two major conclusions are very clear and obvious to all: first, the COVID-19 situation in Ogun State and indeed in the country as a whole has not improved since the last update; secondly, there are dire consequences in loss of human lives for premature relaxation of the guidelines, necessitating a rollback of the relaxation in a number of states and countries. Unfortunately, guidelines may be rolled back, the lost human lives cannot be rolled back.