The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has signed the Quarantine Regulations pursuant to Section 8 of the Quarantine Act, the Public Health Law and other legislation, as the state strengthens its response framework to the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
Entitled ‘Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020,’ the regulation gives legal backing to the response of the state government to the coronavirus pandemic.
The regulation bestows on the governor powers to “direct the restriction of movement within, into, or out of the local areas, particularly, the movement of persons, vehicles, aircraft, and watercraft on waterways within the state to save for transportation or movement of essential supplies such as food, water, pharmaceutical products, medical and medicines, and any other essential supplies as the governor may deem appropriate.
“It also regulates the 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 and movement of essential services personnel.”
In relation to events, public gatherings and premises, the regulation empowers the governor to restrict or prohibit the gathering of persons in the state, such as conferences, meetings, festivals, private events, religious services, public visits, and such other events, except where the written approval of the governor is obtained for such gathering.
As regards food, drugs and other essential supply chain, hoarding and price manipulation, the governor is vested the power to direct that no person shall hoard foods, drugs and other essential goods and services within the state, or refuse to provide foods, drugs and other essential goods and services within the state.
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Meanwhile, the state is also increasing work at its isolation facilities at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Benin City, even as it had taken delivery of new ventilators. At the hospital yesterday, while facilities at the 12 room capacity were being test run, construction works and repairs were also going on in the remaining structure, part of which would hold no fewer than 28 isolated persons.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Patrick Okundia said once the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, gives the approval for any victim to be transferred to the facility, the state has the capacity to hold such a person.
