South West governors agree to shut borders

The governors of the South West states agreed on Friday to shut all entry points to the region as part of the strategy to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the zone.

This was as the nation recorded 51 new cases on Friday to bring the total confirmed cases to 493.

Wearing of face mask is also now compulsory for all residents of the six states in the zone, namely Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo, according to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.

Oyo State, where the number of confirmed cases reached 15 last night, decided on its own to produce one million face masks in the war against the pandemic.

Akeredolu, Chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum, said in a statement in Akure that he and his colleagues took the decisions during a virtual meeting on Friday.

The entry points to the region will be “closed forthwith,” he said.

The governor added: “The state governors agreed that people involved in essential services or dealing in medicine, water and consumable items, in particular traders and market men/women, should endeavour to wear nose masks while outside plying their trade to minimize the spread of the deadly virus.

“The governors further agreed that wearing of nose masks will be made compulsory for everybody coming out of their homes effective from Friday, 24 April, 2020 in their respective states.”

Besides, the governors agreed to dissolve the Board of Directors of ODUA Investment Limited with immediate effect.

The Group Managing Director is to take charge of the conglomerate affairs pending the constitution of a new board.