Makinde inaugurates OYSIEC, seeks credible, unbiased council poll
The Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force, headed by Governor Seyi Makinde, has announced the cancellation of the 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. curfew imposed on the state in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, which contained details of the report of the task force meeting held on August 31, 2020, and presided over by the governor, indicated that the curfew had been abolished after a series of reviews.
The task force, however, specifically warned operators of night clubs to desist from accommodating persons in closed areas within their premises, adding that research has confirmed that the virus spreads faster when people cluster in closed venues.
According to the statement, an advisory would be sent to night club owners by the emergency operations centre (EOC) arm of the task force to warn operators not to allow guests into their enclosed areas.
The statement further indicated that the task force had warned residents of the state to continue to follow the Own Your Action initiative of the state’s COVID-19 Task Force, as, according to the task force, the state “is not completely out of the woods with regards to COVID-19.”
MEANWHILE, the governor has also approved the conversion of the Aawe Isolation Centre to a Level 3 Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), directing that the facility should be decontaminated and handed over to the Hospital Management Board.
Similarly, the statement confirmed that the task force had approved that except for the Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo, Ibadan, other isolation centres in the state could be converted to Level 3 PHCs.
It, however, stated that whenever a spike in COVID-19 cases is noticed in the location where any of the facilities is situated, such a facility would be re-converted as an isolation centre or a part of it will be so utilised as an isolation centre.
The task force has, therefore, directed the Oyo State Hospital Management Board to identify a primary healthcare centre around Olodo axis of Ibadan, which would be upgraded to take care of residents in that axis, as there are no designated government hospital facilities around the Iwo Road-Olodo axis.
IN another development, Makinde, yesterday, inaugurated the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), charging its members to deliver credible, free and fair local council election in the state.
He, therefore, charged the commission to, within the shortest possible time, make the will of the people prevail by conducting a local council election that is unbiased.
Makinde, who spoke at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, venue of the event, said his administration was ready to conduct the election and promised that his administration would not interfere with the activities of the commission.
He appealed to the opposition in the state not to overheat the polity, and also urged politicians not to see elections as war or a do-or-die affair.
HOWEVER, Chairman, OYSIEC, Olagunju, who spoke on behalf of the board members shortly after the swearing-in, assured the people of the state that the board would conduct a credible and transparent local council election.
He urged them to have confidence and trust in the commission, adding that they will not be biased towards any political party and that the will of the people will prevail.
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