As a way of containing the spread of the novel Coronavirus, Oyo state government has kicked off the decontamination and fumigation of all necessary areas in the State.

According to the state government, the decontamination was one of the steps to control and contain the spread of COVID-19 in the State, adding that corporate entities, owners of business spaces and other identified organisations are expected to carry out a similar exercise on their premises.

In a  statement signed on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun, who kicked off the exercise on behalf of the governor,  informed that the exercise was one of the measures taken to contain COVID-19 in Oyo State.

She added that the Government was leading by example by decontaminating the length and breadth of the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

She said: “We are leading this process today by example by decontaminating the Secretariat. I have been told that some chemicals are in use, but we should not use them carelessly. So, the team is very specific about where they need to decontaminate.”

She admonished all and sundry to cooperate with the Oyo State COVID-19 Decontamination and Containment Project Team in the course of discharging their responsibilities of reaching out to business premises and identified organisations in the State to fumigate them.

“The team will be reaching out to business premises in Oyo State hereafter and all other identified organisations which they believe should be decontaminated.

“We will like to see your utmost support and cooperation with them,” she said.

The SSG, who appealed to all residents of the State to continue to follow all the guidelines issued by the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force on how the disease could be prevented from spreading in the State, said adherence to the directives remained key in the fight against the disease.

“As you have heard from the governor several times, there are many other guidelines given to us, which I will reiterate that we continue to follow.

“We have been told a lot about social distancing. It is very key to us and all over the world in containing the spread of this virus.

“We have also been told that when we need to sneeze or cough, we should use our elbows or handkerchiefs that we can dispose immediately.

“We have also been told that we should not have any gathering of more than 10 people in Oyo State. Remember also that the curfew is still on.

“All these measures are just to ensure that we contain COVID-19 spread in Oyo State,” she said.

She enjoined residents who see signs or have had any contact with a suspected case of COVID-19 to quickly call the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) helplines that had been provided for proper guidance on the step to take.

She also appreciated the professors, students and all volunteers from the University of Ibadan and others, who she said joined hands in the project to decontaminate the Secretariat and the entire State.

She said: “I want to thank everyone of us for the obvious dedication we have shown today, being a public holiday. It is good to have all of us out and ready to kick of this decontamination process. We appreciate you.

“On behalf of the governor, I will like to say a big thank you to all the volunteers today, including professors and students of the University of Ibadan, who have helped us to decontaminate the Secretariat.”

Earlier, the chairman of the decontamination project and a Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Olanike Adeyemo, said that the exercise started 10 days ago and that it was to protect the citizenry from spreading the Coronavirus in the State through decontamination.

Adeyemo said: “It gives me a great pleasure to welcome you here. This is something that started like 10 days ago and I am so proud of the team and what we have been able to accomplish within that time.

“This is not a day for long speeches. All I can say is to encourage us to know that the Oyo State Government is doing all that is required to protect the citizenry and one of these things, in this period, is this decontamination project.”

She noted that decontamination will be carried out whenever it is indicated, even as she commended Governor Makinde for the acumen with which he has been governing the State.

“I want to clarify that decontamination is only done when it is indicated. So, on the contrary to what is being done anywhere else, we are doing what is necessary to protect the citizenry. Like I always say, when you decontaminate, you are not spraying water, you are spraying chemicals. So, we will not do it unless it is indicated,” she said.

She admonished people with land use facilities such as households, pharmacies, hotels, churches, mosques, banks and event centres, among others, to emulate the good gesture of the Government by decontaminating their environment in order to make them safe from this virus.