UYO– The Akwa Ibom State Government has resolved to prosecute all defaulters of the lock down law.
This was disclosed by the Hon. Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong at the meeting of the State COVID-19 Incidence Management Committee yesterday in Uyo.
The Commissioner who was giving an update on the cases of 2 corpses that were intercepted in the State recently, reminded that there was an existing law against interstate travels except where foodstuff and other essential commodities are transported.
He explained that anyone travelling from any State to another had breached that law adding that, the attempt to smuggle these two corpses into the State from Lagos State was a worrisome trend especially as it happened within 48 hours interval.
Dr. Ukpong said the first corpse which was intercepted in Onna LGA was accompanied by 8 persons while the corpse which was intercepted at Ika LGA was escorted by 3 persons.
He stated that these eleven persons had been quarantined but would now be handed over to the police for prosecution, while stating that Government had impounded the ambulances used in conveying the bodies.
The Commissioner warned that any persons caught breaching the lockdown laws under any guise hence forth would be prosecuted.
The Deputy Incident Manager, Dr. Godfrey Akro in his reaction, commended the lenient and civil disposition of the Akwa Ibom State Government in handling the culprits. He lamented what other State Governors would have done given the circumstance.
Also in the meeting, the Chairman of the Primary Health Development Board, Dr. Martin’s Akpan intimated that the State Government had distributed personal protection equipment (PPE) to the Primary Health Care Centres adding that no fewer than 200 facilities has received the gadgets.
He thanked the State Government for its purpose driven approach in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile more recuperated patients of COVID-19 whose cases have been successfully managed by the State incident management committe are to be discharged today from the Ibom Specialist Hospital isolation centre.
