The Oyo State COVID-19 Taskforce, has said it is yet to relax the ban on religious activities and the curfew imposed as a result of the pandemic.
A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, in Ibadan, on Tuesday, stated that the Taskforce, chaired by the governor, made its position public after a two-hour online meeting on Tuesday evening.
He said the taskforce was still evaluating the situation in the state and would not be able to follow the decision by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, which relaxed the ban on religious gathering and the curfew.
Adisa explained that the state’s position was informed by the ongoing risk, situation analysis being undertaken by a team of experts.
The statement read in part: “The Oyo state COVID-19 Taskforce wishes to alert the public that the ban on religious gathering remains in force in the state.
“The 8p.m. to 5a.m. curfew earlier imposed in the state as a result of the ravaging pandemic, will also remain in force until further notice.
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“This is because the taskforce is awaiting a risk, situation analysis report by a team of experts, earlier commissioned to do so.
“The report is expected at the end of the week and it is only after the report has been analysed by the taskforce that it can be in a position to make further clarifications.”
The governor’s aide said the Taskforce would always make its decisions based on the behavioral patterns of the Coronavirus in its domain, relying on science, logic and data.
He assured residents that the state was leaving no stone unturned in curtailing the spread of the virus.
According to him, the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) of the Taskforce will commence the community testing for COVID-19 on Wednesday, with the aim of determining the behaviour of the virus in the state.
“The exercise, which is scheduled to hold in 10 locations, will kick off in three different sites in Ibadan on Wednesday,” he explained.
