Ogun business district empty over stay-at-home order

Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

Abeokuta Central Business District (CBD) within Lalubu and Okelewo axis of Abeokuta, the state capital, was virtually empty of its chaotic bustling and hustling activities on Saturday as business owners, workers and visitors stayed away from those hubs in compliance with the stay – at – home directive of the State and Federal Governments over the COVID – 19 pandemic.

The Nation observed that 13- hour into the total lockdown of the State, roads and streets within Abeokuta and its environs were deserted.

Only people rendering essential services such security personnel, health workers and media practitioners were sighted at different locations.

Shops, markets and business premises within the business districts were also shut as the owners and operators complied with the directive.

The Police Commissioner, Kenneth Ebrimson, who was sighted patrolling the capital and its environs in convoys to monitor the level of compliance by residents, commended them for their cooperation and support.

Ebrimson, who spoke with reporters, said the continued cooperation and support of the people would ensure the success of the order, which will also lead to its objective being met.

The Police Commissioner hailed residents for adhering to instruction without any one having run or chase after anybody for violating the government directives.

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He said: “I want to mostly thank the citizen of Ogun State for showing there sense of being civil , their sense of law abiding to a greater extent, they have lessen the burden of the security agencies.

“So far, the compliance level is total satisfactory and efficient, it is functional. So, I am happy that they have collaborated with us without allowing us to go after any of them. So, the compliance level, I am pleased and satisfied with it.

“The message I have have for them is that the government has created a window from Tuesday 7am to 2pm, so we have equally keep our monitoring mechanism to ensure that within that period we monitor them to show that we complete what they have and then disperse so that the commencement of the compliance will continue from 2pm.

“Remember in my last interview I told you we are going to be polite and plead. We don’t want to subject them to mental torture because we are passing through a very difficult time.

“We must give them an enabling environment to comply and corporate with the security agencies.”