Covid-19: Egba Economic Summit Faults Level of Compliance in Ogun

The Egba Economic Summit, a collection of professionals of Egba descent has faulted the level of compliance on the Covid-19 pandemic in Egbaland and Ogun State in general, since the outbreak of the disease was recorded in February in its latest Public Advisory Note on the pandemic.

 

The summit in what it tagged ‘’ Public Advisory Note  2- on Covid-19 issued on the 15^th of June, 2020 said  ‘’ Unfortunately, we regret to inform the authorities that our monitoring reports of Egbaland and the state in general showed worsening compliance level since May 2020 and deteriorating to a regrettable dismal level as at June 12th 2020’’

 

In the note jointly signed by its President, Mr. Kehinde Sogunle and Vice President ,Chief Shina Luwoye, it said  general use of face masks and hand washing have dropped significantly in April and now almost nonexistent, as monitored at the Government Secretariat at Oke Mosan and major markets in Egbaland, while saying that ‘’although, controlled access to places of economic activities and state secretariat is fair, compliance with physical distancing guidelines and use of face masks at the markets in Egbaland are almost zero’’

 

Accordingly, it observed that ‘’visits to our major markets in Egbaland showed that people have almost returned to pre-Covid 19 behaviour’’

 

On the level of compliance to inter- state movements , the summit observed ‘’ The most worrisome part of our findings was on Inter State movement. The restriction policy is not complied with at all and has implications on the perceptions of the capacity of government to maintain law and order other than providing illegal economic incentives to law enforcements agents at the Lagos end of Lagos - Ibadan Express road and other interstate exits and illegal roadside hawkers along the roads"

 

‘’The situation on the Lagos – Ibadan Express may be contributing to the spread of the pandemic as traffic on the road most days stretches for more than 20km and has significantly affected essential products deliveries’’ , the note said.

 

It stated further that there is an urgent need for workable solutions to interstate movements ‘’if we desire to flatten the pandemic curves’’,

 

The EES however commended the Ogun State Governor; Prince (Dr) Dapo Abiodun MFR. for his structured approach to resolving the issues and focused delivery of effective health and emergency response solutions that have arisen through this painful period, just as it commended traditional rulers in Egbaland led by His Royal Majesty, the Alake of Egbaland, Kabiyesi Adedotun Aremu GBADEBO III,  for rising to the occasion through many positive interventions, campaigns, motivational speeches and donations of materials to the less privileged in the land.

 

And in view of the general state of non- compliance across the state, the summit called for a change of attitude and improved use of face masks and regular hand washing among the  people while also Imploring  the Ogun State Government to learn from the general behavior from past ease of lock downs ‘’as we move further on the ease of lock down guidelines as it affects religious bodies and public places’’

 

‘’ We strongly advocate that Covid-19 Monitoring and Enforcement Units (CME) be set up at State and local Government levels involving leadership of the Road Transport Employees and Employers Union, Markets Leaders, the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, the Nigeria Police and civil societies and led by a responsible public official’’

 

The committee as it said should have a mandate to close down any religious places, market or high traffic economic activities/public places that are non-compliant’’

 

It also advocated regional approach in the implementation of Covid-19 movement restrictions contrary to what is presently obtainable.

 

Noting that  the economy and people of the three major South Western States –Lagos, Ogun and Oyo are so interwoven that inconsistent movement restrictions across the States is doing more harm to the economy of the states and promoting ease of spread of the pandemic contrary to the intentions of our Governor.

 

‘’ Consequently, we recommend that the interstate roads with the region be opened for vehicular movements for economic and health reasons of people especially our people living along Mowe - Ibafo, Ifo - Sango Ota Corridors of the state whose livelihood have been greatly halted for the past 15 weeks’’.

 

The leadership of Egba Economic Summit concluded by using the opportunity to call on political leaders representing all the federal constituencies in Egbaland in the National Assembly to ‘’use their positions at ensuring that palliatives and Covid-19 economic incentives that are due to people and institutions in Egbaland from the programmes of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other sustainable Development Agencies are appropriately channeled to the people’’