Anambra vows to sanction any LG chairman who allows a gathering of more than 30

The Anambra state government has vowed to sanction the chairman of any local government area where more than 30 persons gather for a function.

In a statement on Wednesday, C. Don Adinuba, commissioner of information and public enlightenment, said the state government is unimpressed with the way some residents go about their daily businesses in defiance of the COVID-19 guidelines.

The commissioner said the disobedience to these guidelines has “enormous implications for the health of our people.”

“It has come to the knowledge of the State Government that certain individuals and groups in Anambra state have been going about their business in defiance of the directives, guidelines and the relevant law on the prevention of the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state,” he said.

“Presidents-general of town unions, traditional rulers, chairmen and members of local government transition committees, market leaders, officers of various unions and associations as well as religious leaders are enjoined to ensure that their followers comply strictly with the directives, guidelines and law on fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

“They neither wash their hands regularly for up to 20 seconds with water and soap nor observe social distancing of two metres. They do not apply sanitisers.

“They do not wear face coverings; when they do, the face masks cover only their jaws or their chins whereas face masks are meant to cover the mouth and nostrils because these are critical orifices through which the virus enters the human body.

“Worse, some of our people have begun to conduct burials and funerals as well as title taking ceremonies with pomp and pageantry, and in the process attract huge crowds.

“Consequently, Governor Willie Obiano has just issued a proclamation on the mandatory observance of COVID-19 protocols in Anambra State. Anyone who fails to comply with the protocols will be prosecuted at any of the mobile courts set up to try offenders.”

So far, Anambra has recorded 156 cases of COVID-19, according to figures by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).