Wear facemasks or risk arrest, Akeredolu tells residents

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Thursday warned residents to always wear facemasks in public places or risk being arrested and placed in isolation as a preventive measure to check the spread of the COVID-19.

Akeredolu gave the warning in Akure at the flag off of the distribution of facemasks in the state.

The governor, who reiterated that the enforcement of the directive had already commenced, said it had become mandatory for residents to wear the masks in public places.

“We urge you all to keep the use of the masks as a must to prevent yourself and your family from contracting or spreading the virus.

“It is significant for me to inform the public that henceforth, whosoever is arrested for not wearing the nose mask will be kept in the isolation center for 14 days and have his/her specimen taken to be tested for the virus.

“I hope nobody will test our resolve on this matter. Let us all ensure a coronavirus-free Ondo State,” he said.

The governor, who said high premium was being placed on preventive measures to curtail the spread of the deadly virus, added that this informed the free distribution of the masks.

Akeredolu also explained that the masks were produced by over 400 local tailors drawn from the 18 Local Government Areas of Ondo State.

Earlier, Mr Ganiyu Mohammad, the Chairman of the committee set up to embark on mass production of facemasks, had thanked the governor for the initiative.

He said tailors in the state were happy over the opportunity government provided them to earn income during the pandemic.

One of the tailors, Mr Sola Oyesola, commended the state government for empowering tailors during a trying period.

He said the lockdown had negatively affected their business and asked for an increase in the number of tailors incorporated into the initiative.