Category: Covid-19

CSO Situation Room raises alarm over shortage in water supply and inadequate COVID-19 testing in Bayelsa.

Main Covid-19, News
CSO Situation Room members in a meeting with officials of the Bayelsa State Ministry of Health and other stakeholders

Bayelsa State Report:

The CSO Covid-19 Situation Room in its collaborative efforts with the Bayelsa State Government, had a meeting with the Ministry of Health officials and other stakeholders. The major agenda of the meeting was centred on improving government’s responses and preparedness, especially as regards ensuring an increase in the rate of tests conducted on the people of the State to ascertain their COVID-19 status. Only 70 tests have been carried out on samples of suspected cases in the State as of May 17, 2020, of which six have been recorded as confirmed. Till date, the State has no COVID-19 testing centre, and only has two isolation centres provided by the State Government and one quarantine centre donated by a multi-national Oil Company.

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CSO Situation Room on COVID-19 condemns the total lockdown in Rivers, calls it an exercise in futility.

Main Covid-19, News
The streets of Port Harcourt under lockdown

Rivers State Report:
The total lockdown in Port Harcourt and Obio Akpor Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Rivers State which was temporarily suspended for a few days by the State Government, re-commenced on Sunday May 17, 2020. The State Governor, Nyesom Wike stated that the lockdown, aimed at preventing community transmission, will be in force till further notice and warned the people of those LGAs to desist from flouting the indefinite suspension of all movements deemed non-essential. Social Action and other civil Society groups under the auspices of the CSO Situation Room, condemn the total and indefinite lockdown because the government did not make reasonable provision towards ensuring a significant positive outcome from the lockdown as it relates to curbing the spread of coronavirus in the State.

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CSO Situation Room demands for public accountability in the fight against COVID-19 in Delta State

Main Covid-19, News
Picture shows over 50 persons at a recent gathering in Delta State, with no face masks worn and no social distancing enforced

Delta State Report:

In the light of numerous reports from community monitors engaged by some Civil Society Organisations in Delta State, on the absence of meaningful achievements by the State Government in the fight against the deadly coronavirus disease, the Civil Societies under the aegis of the CSO Situation Room have called on the State Government to fulfil its obligation on public accountability, by giving an account of all public expenditure incurred so far in its bid to tackle the pandemic.

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CSO Situation Room monitors activities in Rivers State as Government lifts lockdown temporarily

Main Covid-19, Economic Justice, News
Crowded markets in Port Harcourt City Local Government after the announcement of the two-day ease on lockdown

The total lockdown which took effect in Port Harcourt and Obio Akpor Local Government Areas of Rivers State on Thursday, May 7th, 2020 was temporarily relaxed on Tuesday, May 12th, 2020 by the Governor to enable residents of the State replenish their stock of basic needs and cater to other necessities, in view of a resumption of the total lockdown on Sunday, May 17th, 2020. This came as a breather to the people of both LGAs who have been on a 24-hour lockdown. Following the initial two-day lift slated for Tuesday and Wednesday (May 12th and 13th) but which was later extended till Sunday, May 17th, Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor LGAs came alive again with several humans seen hustling and bustling on the streets and other public places.

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Social Action’s partners EDOCSO inspects second batch of Edo State Government food bank supply in Edo South

Main Covid-19

Social Action’s partners in Edo State, the EDOCSO, on 5th May, 2020, carried out inspection of the second batch of food bank supply in Edo South, earmarked by the State Government to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people of the state.

In line with its mandates to promote good governance, social justice and human rights, the network embarked on another round of inspection of the second batch of food bank delivery of Edo state government to Edo South. The network has been at the forefront of monitoring the supply and distribution of relief materials in the 192 wards of the state with reports of inconsistencies in some instances during the first batch distribution.

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Citizens turn out for screening as Edo State sets up 10 screening centres

Main Covid-19

With the number of confirmed cases of persons infected with coronavirus rising in Edo State, the State Government had to rise up to the occasion as it set up 10 screening centres for citizens of the State. These centres are spread across Oredo Local Government Area of the State as a pilot phase to actualise the government’s target of testing 500,000 persons. In her bid to monitor and ascertain the operations of the centers, Edo Civil Societies Organisations, EDOCSO (a partner with Social Action in Edo State) set up a special adhoc team, headed by Omobude Agho.

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Citizens taking advantage of one of the COVID-19 Screening Centres in Edo State

In the fact-finding mission embarked by EDOCSO, it was observed that, many Edo people are turning up for the screening exercise to ascertain their status. The procedures involve basic medical analysis to determine possible affected person for onward referral or otherwise. This is a measure put in place by the state government to mitigate against the spread of the deadly virus in the state. Members of the monitoring team also submitted themselves for the screening process in the course of the activity while the monitoring continued.

 

CSO Situation Room observes apathy towards COVID-19, amidst heightened insecurity in Akwa Ibom State

Main Covid-19, News
A cross-section of people at a market in Akwa Ibom State after the lockdown was lifted

For almost the entire month of April, Akwa Ibom State was on a lockdown imposed by the State Government as a way of checkmating the spread of coronavirus, following the announcement of its first confirmed case on April 1, 2020. The lockdown which commenced on April 2, 2020 lasted till the end of the month, within which period, over 1,000 persons were arrested for violating the stay-at-home order and taken to a Magistrate Court within their senatorial district for trial. But it soon became clear to the public, that the government’s lockdown order was not achieving the ultimate objective of keeping people alive and preventing death, as many poor people became exposed to imminent death from acute hunger, with the continued shutdown of the State’s economy. This made very many people agitated and their apathy towards the fight against the pandemic grew as the lockdown progressed.

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CSO COVID-19 Situation Room observes dwindling livelihoods in Bayelsa State

Main Covid-19, News
Trading activities in a market in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State in the face of the partial lockdown declared by the state government

As the scourge of the pandemic rages on across the world, residents of Bayelsa State in Nigeria remain apprehensive about the prospects of their livelihoods and general wellbeing. Bayelsa, being an oil-rich state has experienced firsthand, the negative impact COVID-19 has had on the global oil market. The dwindling oil revenue accruable to the State, coupled with a noticeable lull in business activities within the state have adversely affected the livelihoods of the majority of the State’s inhabitants who are mainly into petty trading, small-scale fishery and artisanal work.

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Bayelsa CSO COVID-19 Situation Room embarks on massive sensitisation.

Main Covid-19, Economic Justice, News
CSO COVID-19 Situation Room distributing flyers and hand sanitisers to members of the public in Bayelsa State

The COVID-19 Situation Room which is a coalition of Civil Society groups including Social Action, set up to monitor government’s response to the pandemic and provide support in creating massive awareness amongst the populace, has visited different communities in the State to monitor people’s response to the pandemic and create awareness about it. The Situation Room embarked on a massive outreach in various communities to enlighten the people of Bayelsa State on the risks posed by the coronavirus and the need to prevent getting infected by adhering strictly to all stipulated safety measures such as keeping safe distance from others, regular washing of the hands, frequent use of the hand sanitiser, wearing of face mask in public, eating healthy meals and engaging in physical exercises regularly.

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