The Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) set up mobile courts to try violators of the current COVID-19 lockdown order in the area.
It has also banned motorcycles (Okada) from operating in Kubwa and Dutse Alhaji during the lockdown.
The FCT COVID-19 Security Committee chaired by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, announced this in a guidelines released on the cessation of movement in the FCT in Abuja on Wednesday.
“Mobile courts will now be activated to try all violators of the directive on the cessation of movement across the FCT;
“Motorcycles (Okada) are henceforth barred from operating anywhere in Kubwa and Dutse Alhaji during the lockdown,’’ he said.
Bello noted that the FCT had been “quite fortunate to have maintained a relatively stable number of COVID- 19 positive cases’’, adding the FCT administration is making efforts to ensure that there is no escalation in the number of positive cases.
He, however, noted that over the past few days, adherence to the lockdown directives at the city center had deteriorated.
“Following a review of the effects and level of compliance of the cessation of movement in the FCT as part of measures to contain the spread of COVID 19, the following observations were made and new directives issued :
“While the level of compliance has been satisfactory at the Federal Capital City (FCC) over the first few days of the lockdown, the same cannot be said about the satellite towns located at the various area councils where residents there have largely ignored the lockdown directive;
“However, over the past few days, adherence to the lockdown directives at the city center has also deteriorated.
“Residents have used the excuse of going to the markets to flout the lockdown directives and traders selling non-essential food commodities have also used this window to open their shops in clear violation of the directives not to do so.
“Despite the directives that residents should patronize neighborhood shops and markets within their districts and not move from one district to the other to buy their essential items in order to minimize movement of people and vehicles across the city, this has largely been flouted as well,’’ the minister said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Anthony Ogunleye, a copy of which was obtained by Persecondnews.
He announced that market operational days are henceforth reduced to two days in a week namely; Wednesdays and Saturdays only.
“Residents should patronize only neighborhood markets as movement from one district to the other now constitutes a violation of the lockdown.’’
The minister said the rural communities and area council, chairmen, traditional rulers and community leaders were being sensitized on the dangers of COVID -19.
“The FCT Administration remains deeply committed to ensuring that the COVID-19 pandemic remains controlled in the FCT and seeks the cooperation of all residents in curtailing its spread especially into our rural and suburban communities.’
Author
Leave a comment