COVID-19: Edo seals off eateries for flouting guidelines

The Edo Taskforce on COVID-19 on Tuesday sealed off Domino Pizza and Cold Stone Creamery in Benin, the state capital, for flouting guidelines emplaced by the government to check the spread of the second wave of the pandemic.

The taskforce led by Aiebojie Winifred, a representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), also visited eateries, restaurants, shopping malls and other businesses within the Benin metropolis to ensure compliance with the state’s disease prevention protocols.

The enforcement team includes members of the Edo State COVID- 19 Risk Communication Pillar, security agencies, Red Cross Society of Nigeria and officials of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), among others.

Some other places visited include Just Protein and Mall, Market Square and Kilimanjaro, amongst others.

Addressing journalists after the exercise, Winifred expressed disappointment over the nonchalant attitude of the managers of businesses in the state despite sensitisation and advocacies embarked upon by the state government to ensure compliance to protocols.

“We have visited this facility on previous occasions to sensitize the management and workers on COVID-19 safety protocols. We told them to get hand washing facilities, hand sanitisers, temperature checks and enforce ‘no face masks no entry’.

“We also reiterated the need to maintain social distancing. Unfortunately, on our return to the facility today, we discovered total disregard to the government’s directive to curb the spread of the deadly virus,” she said.