By CHRISTIAN OGBONNA

The Bayelsa government on Wednesday announced that it would relax its Covid-19 lockdown for smooth Easter celebrations in the state .

Gov. Duoye Diri made the announcement in a statement issued by Mr Daniel Alabrah, his Acting Chief Press Secretary, in Yenagoa on Wednesday.

The governor said that the relaxation of the lockdown followed an appeal by the state organs of the various Christian bodies.

“Churches with large congregations would be permitted to have 50 persons during services while 20 worshippers would be allowed for smaller churches during services.

“All Churches must observe the social distancing rule as well as provide running water and soap for washing of hands.

“And these measures are for the period of the Easter celebrations,” the governor said

The governor noted that the lockdown would be back in place after Easter to ensure public health and curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

He said the stay-at-home order for civil servants and all other earlier measures had been extended for another two weeks.

According to him, the measures will be reviewed every two weeks until the COVID-19 crisis abates.

Diri also said that as part of efforts to mitigate the effects of COVID-19, oil multinational, AGIP, in conjunction with its joint venture partners had chosen Bayelsa to site its health facility in the South-South zone towards combating the viral infection.

He said he had directed the Ministry of Lands to make land available for the project.

The governor said some corporate organisations had made donations to the state toward its fight against the pandemic and provision of relief to residents.

He said one of the donors, United Bank for Africa (UBA), gave the state the sum of N28.5 million.

“Niger Delta Development Commission donated N100 million; Sterling Bank, N100million; and the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, 300 bags of rice,” the governor added.

According to Diri, the state government on its part has approved another N98 million for the purchase of foodstuffs as palliatives to residents. (NAN)

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