Residents of Oyo State who refuse to comply with the COVID-19 protocol of compulsory use of face mask in public places will be arrested and prosecuted from next month.
A coordinator of enforcement from the Oyo State COVID-19 Emergency Operation Centre and Risk Communication Pillar, Mrs Kunmi Oladipo said this during an enforcement mission to Bodija Market in Ibadan.
Mrs Oladipo lamented that the state had recorded low level of compliance on the wearing of face mask in public places, particularly markets.
She emphasized the importance of the directives on Covid-19 protocol as the battle against coronavirus was still ongoing.
Mrs Oladipo explained that the enforcement team would within one month sensitize, persuade and ensure compliance, but if there was no appreciable improvement, the team would embark on arrest and prosecution.
Similarly, President of Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, Oyo State Chapter, Tijani Adegoke who was on the enforcement team, said the state government would not relent in its effort at ensuring compliance to COVID-19 directives in public places.
Mr Tijani said the enforcement team had started restraining people without facemask from gaining access into the markets.
Some of the traders while lauding government’s efforts in tackling Covid-19, promised to obey the directives on wearing of facemask as well as provision of hand washing facilities at various points in the market.
Iyabo Adebisi
