FEATURES - Replicating Asaba Storm Drainage success in Warri

Governor Okowa, in T-shirt during one of his many inspections of the drainage
work.

A portion of the storm drainage work in Asaba.

By Chukwudi Abiandu

BEFORE Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa assumed office as governor of Delta in May, 2015, parts of the state, including Asaba, the capital, were perennially plagued by flooding during the rainy season. It was on record that flood claimed lives and brought down buildings in some cities and communities in the state. The situation was precarious, especially as no serious effort was made by previous regimes to address the challenge. Daunting as it was, Okowa declared unequivocally that he would assuage the residents’ predicament occasioned by the flooding by combating it frontally. And, in keeping with his innate virtue, which has endeared him to many and earned him the chieftaincy title of EKWUEME from his Owa kingdom, he earnestly commenced the walk of his talk, awarding contract for “Asaba StormDrainage’’, a truly audacious project designed to stem flood menace in the city. The project, which is being executed in phases, is at the completion stage and it has been acknowledged that when inaugurated, will conveniently swallow all flood in Asaba whenever it rains. Residents are excited and anxiously waiting for the respite

Residents and other persons familiar with the flood menace in Asaba will testify that towards the end of raining season in 2019, great improvement was recorded in the management of the flooding which had “tormented ’’ the city for decades. Okowa’s “Storm Drainage’’ to the rescue. Hitherto, the flood problem created anxious moments engendered by fears that the volume of water was going to submerge houses. And, come the rains and flood did, and had buildings go under and deaths recorded in some cases. Indeed, the flood menace was an albatross to residents of the capital city. The busy Okpanam Road was usually overwhelmed by flood, causing terrible snarl in traffic, with motorists forced to drive indiscriminately and lawlessly. The road leading to Junior Staff Quarters from Summit Road was often cut off during the rains and premises of Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS), Asaba, also went under, submerged by the flood, with offices run over and equipment destroyed. Besides Okpanam Road, DBs Road, Junior Staff Quarters Road, other places usually badly affected by flood include Jesus Saves Road, DLA Road, Ambassador Leo Okogwu Road, Infant Jesus, Temple Clinic area and whole of Asaba inland town.

But today, that flood plague, with its attendant trauma to residents of Asaba, is no more. The Storm Drainage project by Okowa came to the rescue and has brought joy to the people. A trader who sells processed cassava (fufu) at the Akpu junction on Okpanam Road, Mr Kosisor Ekele, described the flood project as “fantastic and great’’. Another trader at the Midwifery Road junction, who declined to be named, confirmed that they have begun to enjoy cessation of flood problems because of the Storm Drainage project. The Consultant Engineer for the Asaba Storm Water project, Mr John Onwalu, gave an insight into how the project started – “the flood problem brought a lot of suffering in Asaba, and this gave the state government and people concern. When we came in, we carried out preliminary study to find out the cause of the flooding so as to be able to proffer solution. From our preliminary study, we found out that Asaba is sitting on the lower plain of a valley. Taking Asaba and Okpanam together, every rain drop in Okpanam comes down to Asaba because Okpanam is situated at 187 metres above sea level, while the centre of Asaba, which is at Inter Bua Roundabout is situated at 44 metres above sea level.“So, you have a difference of about 143 metres in elevation. This explains why every drop of water in Okpanam flows to Asaba. The situation shows why even when there is no rainfall in Asaba, it still experiences flooding flowing in from Okpanam. Onwalu also disclosed that a major problem which their study discovered was that when Delta was created with Asaba as capital, there was an initial lack of urban planning, which should have mapped out roads, residential areas, commercial areas, schools, etc. But, with no defined areas for property development, people began to develop property indiscriminately, blocking natural water paths, thereby hindering the flow of the precipitated flood through its natural path. According to him, water must find its level and that is why you find water meandering through different places, even through homes.

He explained that the discoveries prompted a survey of the whole area to be carried out soon after the state government under Gov. Okowa directed that Storm Drainage project should be embarked on. “The survey was topographic and intended to collect information of every spot in Asaba. With that, we were able to generate the spot heights from which the contour mapping was produced, with the street names, and all the verifiable features that will help in our work, after which we went into the proper analysis to generate the flood drainage design,” Onwalu said and added that the analysis was to provide answer to the question of volume of flood water that Okpanam contributes to Asaba and how to manage it.

Armed with adequate technical details on issues around the perennial and intense flooding in the capital and environs, including determination of the hydrological channel section that could accommodate the volume of flood water from Okpanam, the government began, as onerous as it appeared, a comprehensive and apt strategy to arrest the scourge, flooding. It deployed Storm Drainage approach, tasking the contractors to split the project into three phases for ease of handling and coordinated supervision. Work in all the phases has been concluded, with only finishing touches ongoing to ensure that when the draibns are activated, flooding in Asaba will be history from this year. The project was superbly, conscientiously and pragmatically executed in tandem with its concept. According to Mr Lawrence Okoji, a lawyer and resident of Asaba, from the gargantuan tunnels we saw and the mighty pipes that run through them, Okowa has saved the state capital and the inhabitants from the debilitating experience of flooding. (see the rest on www.tribuneonlineng.com)

The only way I can described the governor is that he is a “home-grown governor who knows the needs of the people, feels their pain and goes ahead to soothe them. He is God-fearing and loves Deltans. Indeed, Okowa is an angel.’’ He added that Okowa had raised the stake of governance, inadvertently challenging anyone who would succeed him in 2023 to sustain the legacydemonstra

For Julius Nmor, another resident, “Okowa has, with the Asaba Storm Drainage project, shown beyond doubt that he was prepared for the job of governor. This is true because no sooner than he was inaugurated as governor than he embarked on projects that gave meaning to the lives of the people. I wished he could be allowed to take a third term in office.’’He urged that people of the state should pray for the governor continually, saying that was the only way they could best apprecioate him for his love for them which he had exemplified in projects, including Asaba Storm Drainage.

Onwalu stated that now that the main storm sewers had been created in Asaba, “the government is now concentrating on creating the street drains, and everywhere that a road is being constructed or rehabilitated, a street drain is also being provided. “It is the drain that makes the road to last because when there is no water sitting under the asphalt, the road will not collapse. Every drop of water flows into the drain which empties into the sewers, thus keeping the road networks to endure for a long period.The engineer explained that the new drainages were designed to empty flood into the River Niger.

Asaba residents have continued to commend Gov. Okowa for his strong passion to ensure that flooding in the capital city ended by taking concrete and painstaking measures. It is this passion that has spurred him to embark on this level and magnitude of work. This passion expresses his love to give and bequeath enduring infrastructure that will make life and living pleasurable for Deltans, for their prosperity and a Stronger Delta. And daily, in their different places of worship, the people are in full supplication to God, asking him to bless the governor for being His good apostle, meeting the people at the points and according to their needs.

Of course, the Asaba experience is set for replication in Warri, where the contract for Storm Drainage has been awarded. Before now, there was no survey, but today, Warri has a master plan. Just the same way that Asaba was prioritized is the same way that Warri has been prioritized.At his recent inspection of the project, Okowa had said, “I believe that the completion of ongoing drainage projects will remarkably reduce the water overflow in Asaba,’’ and assured that his administration would continue to do its best to make life more meaningful for citizens.

Announcing the redirection of fight against flooding to Warri, the governor told journalists in December, 2019 the governor explained a point, saying, “we are managing our resources judiciously and that is why we are giving special attention to drainage projects in Warri and Uvwie area, because they have a huge flooding problem. Whatever was done in the past was not just good enough considering the terrain in the area.

“We have been able to carry out proper studies and we will embark on six storm drainage projects that will drain a major part of Warri and Uvwie when completed. It may not follow in the same manner like that of Asaba since we are going to use ‘Mat Concrete’ because of the terrain. We will tackle the drainage problem to ensure that at the end of this tenure we will be able to beat our chest that we have done something good for Warri people.

“Once we have solved the drainage challenges, it becomes much easier to construct more roads.”He disclosed that contract for the drainage projects, which as with the Asaba pattern, are in the meantime split into two phases, have been awarded to CCECC Ltd and Levante Construction Ltd at the cost of N9.5 billion each to construct six storm drainage projects to solve flooding problems in Warri and Uvwie. “This administration will continue to prioritise resources in order to provide necessary infrastructure for the people,” he assured.

With the gratitude being heartily expressed by Asaba residents on the “victory’’ of the state government over flooding in the city via the Storm Drainage project, inhabitants of Warri obviously can’t wait for the respite. To them, it is like it happened “yesterday’’.

MRA condemns attacks on Journalists covering COVID-19, calls on F G to ensure respect for Media Freedom

LAGOS, Monday, March 30, 2020: Media Rights Agenda (MRA) today condemned the increasing cases of attacks by law enforcement and security agencies on journalists covering the Coronavirus pandemic and other issues and called on the Federal Government to ensure respect for the fundamental rights of journalists and the media.

In a statement issued in Lagos, MRA’s Programme Director, Mr. Ayode Longe, said: “We are constrained to remind the Federal Government that it has obligations under various international instruments which it has voluntarily acceded to, particularly Article 66(c) of the Revised Ecowas Treaty, to ensure respect for the rights of journalists. We are gravely concerned by the rampant cases of attacks by law enforcement and security agents on journalists carrying out their professional duties as well as the obstruction of such duties. This situation is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated.”

He cited as one of the latest of such incidents, the attack on March 28, 2020 by an operative of the Department of State Security (DSS) on the Imo State correspondent of Leadership newspaper, Ms Angela Nkwo-Akpolu, while she was taking pictures of a hotel in Owerri where guests were forcibly quarantined by security agents allegedly because the hotel failed to comply with government’s directives on checking the spread of COVID-19.

The DSS operative is reported to have manhandled Ms Nkwo-Akpolu, forcibly seized a pair of prescription eye-glasses belonging to her as well as her ipad and deleted several pictures she had taken. The security agent stopped short of beating her up and smashing her ipad on the ground owing to the intervention of other journalists present at the scene.

In yet another incident, at about 4.00am on March 30, 2020, a group of soldiers manning a checkpoint at Mbiama, a border town between Rivers and Bayelsa States, attacked a circulation vehicle belonging to The Punch newspaper, which was on its way to distribute copies of the newspaper in states in the South-South zone, and damaged the car.

According to the driver of the vehicle, Mr Sunkanmi Olusola, when he got to Mbiama, the soldiers stopped him and the driver of the circulation vehicle of The Nation newspaper and refused to allow them to continue their journey. His appeal to the soldiers to allow them leave apparently angered one of them who brought out a knife and slashed one of the vehicle’s front tyres into shreds. Mr. Olusola said the soldier had initially tried unsuccessfully to smash the windscreen of the Passat Golf 3 car before deciding to use the knife to tear the tyre.

Condemning these incidents, Mr. Longe described as tragic the frequent resort to violence and brutality by law enforcement and security agents in their dealings with members of the public, including journalists, without any civility or respect for the basic constitutional rights of citizens.

He said: "these incidents are doubly tragic because a free press and respect for the rule of law are necessary conditions in a democracy.  Unfortunately, these security agents have consistently demonstrated that they are either not aware of these fundamentals of democratic rule or that they have no regard for them. This cannot be allowed to continue unchecked."

Mr. Longe noted that at a time such as this when the world is confronting an unprecedented public health challenge in the Coronavirus pandemic, the role of the media is more important than ever before, given the imperative of citizens having access to accurate information about the nature of the threat it poses and the means to combat it, among other issues.

He argued that “In a situation such as this, there can be no justification for these types of actions by the Government or its law enforcement and security agencies. The Government has a heightened responsibility to ensure that journalists and the media are able to perform their duties.  This should necessitate taking extraordinary measures to protect journalists and their work and fully implementing all laws aimed at ensuring that journalists and citizens have uninhibited access to information. Unfortunately, we are constantly faced with a situation where the Government, which should be the protector, is the principal impediment.”

Mr. Longe called on Yusuf Magaji Bichi, the Director General of the DSS, and Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff, to call their officers and men to order and provide them with the necessary training about their human rights obligations to citizens and internationally recognized acceptable modes of engagement by law enforcement agents with citizens and civilian populations.

COVID-19 panic: Fear is outpacing the problem of the virus, says Tony Evans

Pastor Tony Evans

By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Christian Post Reporter

Influential pastor Tony Evans warned that “our anxiety, worry, and fear is outpacing the problem of the virus.”

“Worry and fear have a way of transferring very quickly from to other people,” Evans, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, said in a sermon on Sunday.

"I think that’s what’s happening with this virus. The virus is not the only thing that transfers quickly. Our anxiety, worry, and fear is outpacing the problem of the virus because it’s consumed the mind, the heart, the energy and the emotions of ourselves, our families, the whole nation and even the world.”

Evans offered two words to those mired in fear and anxiety: Don’t worry. 

“That comes from Jesus,” he said, citing Matthew 6:25-34, where Jesus says “don’t worry” three times.

“Stop it,” the bestselling speaker and author stressed. “You say, ‘How practical is that given all that we’re facing the unknowns, the crisis the expansion, the speed, the sickness? Is that a practical expectation of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, yes it is, because He commands us not to do it.”

Christians have a “legitimate right for legitimate concern,” Evans said, but added, “what we don’t have the right to do is worry.” 

“What worry is concern gone haywire,” the Urban Alternative founder said. “God does not expect us not to deal with reality. If you’re sick, you’re sick. If you’re struggling, you’re struggling. But that’s different than worry. Concern you own; worry owns you.”

Evans argued that what began as concern is now causing us to “tremble” due to the onslaught of negative headlines and ever-changing statistics. 

“It can draw you from legitimate concern from which you should act responsibly to illegitimate worry,” he said. 

“Many people believe in God and still worry because they have little faith,” Evans said, citing Matthew 8:26, where Jesus rebukes those of “little faith.”

“The size of your faith is tied to the size of your God,” he explained. “When you shrink God, you automatically shrink faith. So if you and I have little faith, it’s because we’re operating with a small understanding and view of God.” 

The way to get more faith and overcome worry is through “expanding your understanding, view of, and submission to God.”

“The best way I can help you to work through this crisis ... is to grow God in your understanding, in your experience, and in your focus,” he stressed, "because when we grow Him, your faith will grow with it and your worry will shrink and become responsible concern.”

Far too many Christians believe in a God they “don’t understand as a father,” Evans noted, adding that it’s important to view “God as a father when it comes to not worrying.”

“This father cares for you. When you come to look at Him this way, understand Him this way, relate to Him this way, you begin to experience God the daddy and not just God the creator,” he said. “God will keep you calm even in a drought, even in a virus. So I want you to calm down, look at your family members right now who are seated with you and say, ‘Don’t worry.’”

Evans advised using handwashing time — a measure recommended by health officials to slow the spread of COVID-19 — as “prayer time.”

“You always know when you’re supposed to pray because it’s connected to when you’re tempted to be a worrier,” he said. “If you’re going to wash your hands all day long, talk to your daddy all day long, and get your growing focus on God who is able to calm your fears.”

While we “ought to be concerned” about the coronavirus and make “wise decisions” about physical distancing, Evans said, “you don’t live in panic when you know you have a heavenly Father.”

“If you want to calm down and stay calm ... then here’s what you do: Seek ye first the Kingdom of God,” the pastor said, adding that the coronavirus is a “great opportunity” to choose faith over fear.

There are at least 125,093 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S. and at least 2,149 deaths as of March 29, according to the New York Times database.

In a previous interview with The Christian Post, Evans highlighted the importance of trusting in a good God “even when He doesn’t make sense.” The pastor shared how his faith has sustained him through a “tough” year in which he lost his father and his wife and ministry partner, Lois. 

“Sometimes you have to learn to trust God in the dark when there is not clarity, when He becomes inscrutable. You have to have enough foundation before that happens to weather the storm when that happens.”

Trusting God when it doesn’t make sense, Evans said, is a “decision of the will.”

“It's often not supported by the emotions because you're not feeling what you're trusting,” he explained. “It’s a decision to act like God is telling the truth, to act like God knows what He is doing. That’s what we choose to do and continue to choose to do day by day.”

“It’s important to not give up on God when life appears to have given up on you. It's easy to trust God when everything is right, blessings are flowing, prayers are being answered, needs are being met. That's the fun part of the faith. But sometimes, you have to trust God when you don’t see the benefits, the blessings, and all the frills of the faith.” 

·        https://www.christianpost.com/news/tony-evans-on-covid-19-panic-fear-is-outpacing-the-problem-of-the-virus.html?uid=*|UNIQID|*

COVID-19: Reps Minority Leader, family test negative, urges members of NASS to go for test

Hon. Ndudi Elumelu during plenary.

The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu has tested negative to Corona virus, having been in self isolation in Abuja.

In a statement on Friday night, Hon. Elumelu said that having his family back from London, there was the need for him and the entire family to isolate themselves in consonance with the world best medical standards, saying that COVID-19 test had to be carried out on them.

He said that the result of the tests confirmed them all negative, while urging the leadership and members of the National Assembly to make themselves available to be tested for the deadly virus that have claimed the lives of over 12,000 persons globally.

The Minority Leader noted that as representatives with direct contact with all manner of people as a result of their functions, there was the need for them to be proactive with a view to helping in curbing the spread of the virus, pointing out that self isolation and making themselves available for test to be carried out on them, to determine one’s status as a leader is the key to preventing the spread of the virus.

Hon. Elumelu also urged Nigerians to keep faith with the various levels of Government by keying into guidelines released as this would enhance synergy towards curtailing the corona virus in the country.

"Adherence to the directives of the NCDC is critical to having headway in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria,” the Minority Leader stated. .

While commending United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Tony Elumelu Foundation for donating N5billion and N1billion respectively, and others who magnanimously donated to the fight against the disease, he also called on the Federal Government to be more proactive, sincere and apolitical in the fight against the virus, adding that critical directives to the people should be done with human face so as to achieve the much needed co-operation that will make them adhere strictly to the instructions.

“The Federal government should make food available to our people in the rural areas, enforce drastic reduction from telecom companies on all telephone charges, collaborate with state governments to convert some hotels into temporary hospitals, pay minimum charges pending when the house stimulus bill is passed into law, and ensure a further drastic reduction in petroleum pump prices.

"At this stage the Federal Government should provide free medicals to Nigerians at all levels,” Hon. Elumelu stated

The respected legislator who represents Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency of Delta State in the House of Representatives, commended the efforts and measures put in place by the Delta State Governor, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa towards the fight against the virus in the State and urged the people of the State to join forces with him to forestall the outbreak of the virus in any part of the state that is yet to record any case of corona virus, even as he lauded the dogged efforts of the Lagos state Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu in fighting COVID-19 in the State which has become the epicentre of the disease in Nigeria

Anigbobi to ex-SA: You lied against Tsekiri; says allegation is fabrication, blackmail

Engr. Matthew Tsekiri

  

Allegations of high handedness made against the Delta state commissioner for Science and technology Engr. Matthew Tsekiri by his former Special Assistant has been debunked.

A kinsman of the commissioner, Ambassador Anigbobi in a statement debunked the allegation describing it as blackmail, unfounded lies, outright fabrication of stories, all designed to embarrass the commissioner.

Anigbobi said in a statement that the Special Assistant failed to tell the world that he was relieved of his duty because he lacked the intellectual capacity to cope with the demands of the highly technical position.

Below is full text of Ambassador Anigbobi’s statement:

The blackmail and lies against Matthew Tsekiri

About six months ago, the Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Science and Technology, Delta State, Engr. Matthew Tsekiri, appointed a Special Assistant (S.A.  ) names withheld to help him in his job in the Ministry. 

Not long after the S.A (Special Assistant)  resumed work, the Hon. Commissioner began to notice that he lacked the capacity to effectively function as his Special Assistant, bearing in mind that the Commissioner's duties entails a lot of technical matters. The Special Assistant claiming to be a graduate on his C.V, was expected to be able to meet a decent standard of intellectual output, but the Hon. Commissioner was disappointed to discover otherwise. He discussed this several times with him but it became obvious that he had apparently reached the limit of his capacity. The Hon. Commissioner gave him some time to pick up, believing he would take it as a challenge.

At a point recently, however, the Commissioner exhausted his patience and decided to relieve him of the burden while exploring another assignment that suits his capacity. As a young graduate with very little exposure, it appears the young man took his disengagement in very bad light, hence his decision to resort to blackmailing the Commissioner through unfounded lies, outright fabrication of stories, all designed to embarrass him. The Hon. Commissioner's first reaction was that the young man lacked the intellectual depth to pursue a line of calumny of this sort, except perhaps there were some persons behind him who were goading him on to score some cheap political points.

As a Government appointee with a strong passion for youths (male and female) of his community, who have been beneficiaries of his generosity over the years in Uvwie LGA, the Hon. Commissioner had already arranged a new position the former Special Assistant would fill with tasks that were within his capacity to deliver on before his defamatory stories went viral. The Hon. Commissioner has taken this unfortunate incident in his stride and moved on, knowing that blackmail is one of the vocational hazards that every politician would face some day in one’s political journey. The Hon. Commissioner bears no animosity whatsoever towards his former Special Assistant as he believes that his work must go on despite distractions such as this.

Conscience, it is said, is an open wound and only truth can heal it.

Signed:

Ambassador Chris Anigbobi

Covid-19: Agency charges residents of Warri, Uvwie and environs to clean up surroundings

Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay.

As part of measures to enhance personal hygiene and curb the spread of diseases including the ravaging corona virus (covid-19), the Warri/Uvwie and Environs Development Agency (WUEDA) has charged communities and residents of the area to immediately embark on a cleaning exercise of their surroundings.

The Agency said that it was pertinent for the people to instantly tidy up their environment not just to promote a healthy living but particularly to ensure that the circumstance that could stimulate the growth and spread of the corona virus was avoided.

In a statement issued by the Director General (DG) of WUEDA, Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay, the Agency said that due to the seriousness and urgency of the issue at stake, the people have to commence the cleaning exercise straightaway and not wait for a government declared environmental sanitation day.   

“Given the devastating effect of the corona virus (covid-19) worldwide and the increasing rate of its spread in Nigeria, we have no other option now than to clean up our surroundings, on individual and house to house basis.

“Besides keeping our environment neat, it will help us to live healthy, checkmate the spread of infectious diseases like the corona virus.  

“So we plead with you all in the Warri and Uvwie axis to go clean up that gutter in your front, that heap of dirt in front of your kitchen and that refuse in your office, shop and market place. Above all, maintain a clean attitude inside your residence,” the DG said.

  

Macaulay, a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) reiterated the government’s commitment to the integrated development of the entire Warri and Uvwie axis through the master drainage project and facelift of the area. 

According to him, the charge for the people to clean up their surroundings did not mean that the government was running away from its responsibilities.

COVID-19: Delta announces lockdown, closes borders

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Thursday, announced lockdown of all activities in the state and closure of all borders as the state government intensified efforts to make the state safe from Coronavirus pandemic.

In a broadcast in Asaba, the third in one week, the governor, who is the Chairman of the Central Committee on Managing and Containing the Coronavirus Pandemic in Delta, stated that the lockdown would be effective from Wednesday, while the closure of borders and other entry points into the state would commence at 6 a.m. on Sunday.

He also ordered the closure of Asaba airports to traffic from 6 p.m. on Friday, and explained that the committee took the far reaching decisions to further ensure that people in the state were safe.

He said: "As promised, we have continued to monitor and review developments concerning this global pandemic on a daily, if not hourly basis.

``Although there has been no confirmed case in Delta, we deemed it fit to take further measures to avert any outbreak or contain its spread if it occurs.

"Consequently, after a meeting with the Central Committee on Managing/Containing the Coronavirus Pandemic headed by me, several far-reaching decisions were made and I hereby order that the Asaba airport should be closed to traffic effective from Friday, March 27, 2020 at 6 p.m.

"All land borders into and out of Delta are to be shut effective 6 a.m. on Sunday, March 29, 2020.

"All businesses - malls, supermarkets, markets and shops - are to close from Wednesday, April 1, 2020.

"All residents in the State are to stay at home from Wednesday, April 1, 2020.

"Food sellers are to conduct their businesses within the precinct of their homes and are required to strictly adhere to the social distancing rules.

"Deltans are advised that there will be increased security presence on the streets and land borders to ensure strict compliance with these directives.’’

The governor stated that the restrictions were for two weeks, in the first instance, but did not apply

to persons providing essential services - Security, Healthcare (Pharmacies are to remain open), Water, Fire, Power, Essential Departments of Media Houses and Essential Departments of Telecommunications companies.

He directed that officials of the affected agencies and companies must carry valid identification tags to ensure easy identification and smooth passage.

"I urge all Deltans to adjust to the new order and cooperate with the Government and law enforcement agencies.

``Drastic as these measures may seem, they are for our collective good. At the same time, we must keep on praying to God to save us from the seismic effects of this global pandemic," he added.

Below is full text of Governor Okowa’s broadcast -

STATE BROADCAST BY HIS EXCELLENCY, SENATOR, DR IFEANYI OKOWA, GOVERNOR OF DELTA STATE, ON THURSDAY, 26TH MARCH 2020 ON THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

My Dear Deltans,

This is the third time I am addressing you on the coronavirus pandemic.

2. As promised, we have continued to monitor and review developments concerning this global pandemic on a daily if not hourly basis. Although there has been no confirmed case in Delta, nevertheless, we deem it fit to take further measures to avert any outbreak or contain its spread if it occurs.

3. Consequently, after a meeting with the Central Committee on Managing/Containing the Coronavirus Pandemic headed by me, several far-reaching decisions were made, and I hereby order as follows:

Asaba Airport is to close to traffic effective from Friday, March 27, 2020 by 6pm.

All land borders into and out of Delta are to be shut effective 6am, Sunday, March 29, 2020.

All businesses-malls, supermarkets, markets and shops -are to close from Wednesday, April 1, 2020.

All residents in the State are to stay at home from Wednesday, April 1, 2020.

Food sellers are to conduct their businesses within the precinct of their homes and are required to strictly adhere to the social distancing rules.

Deltans are advised that there will be increased security presence on the streets and land borders to ensure strict compliance with these directives.

These restrictions are for two weeks in the first instance but do not apply to persons providing essential services namely;

Security

Healthcare (Pharmacies are to remain open)

Water

Fire

Power

Essential Departments of Media Houses

Essential Departments of Telecommunications companies.

Officials of these agencies/companies must carry valid identification tags to ensure easy identification and smooth passage.

4. I urge all Deltans to adjust to the new normal and cooperate with the Government and law enforcement agencies. Drastic as these measures may seem, they are for our collective good. At the same time, we must keep on praying to God to save us from the seismic effects of this global pandemic.

5. Thank you.

6. God bless us all.

Office of the Governor

Government House

Asaba

Pope calls for global reciting of Lord's Prayer Wednesday; ecumenical bodies pledge to participate

Pope Francis  Photo: Reuters

By Michael Gryboski, Christian Post Reporter

Pope Francis called on Christians worldwide to recite the Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Our Father, at noon Wednesday in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church took to his official Twitter account on Tuesday morning to announce the call to prayer, asking for participation from Christians of all denominations.

“Let us stay united. I invite all Christians to direct their voices together toward Heaven, reciting the Our Father tomorrow, 25 March, at noon,” the pontiff tweeted.

The Twitter post included a short video of Francis giving a prayer that had English subtitles, calling on people to “pray together for the sick, for the people who are suffering.”

“I thank all Christians, all the men and women of goodwill who pray at this moment in unison, whichever religious tradition they belong to,” Francis said in the video. 

The Conference of European Churches, an ecumenical Christian organization that received the invitation to pray at noon Wednesday via official letter, announced that they were taking part.

“During these times of global uncertainty, we need signs of unity and hope,” said the CEC in a statement released Tuesday.  

“The world today calls us to be united. Not only fighting against this devastating pandemic, but also in order to support one another and to feel in communion, remembering to draw lessons from this crisis.”

The World Council of Churches has also accepted the papal invitation given to them via official letter, with WCC General Secretary, the Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, saying that such observances “are a reminder that we are one human family.”

“As people across the globe are in their scattered working places at home, we will have the opportunity to unite our voices in praying to God with the words that our Lord Jesus Christ taught us,” he said.

In addition to Francis’ call for global recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, the World Evangelical Alliance is hosting a Global Day of Prayer & Fasting on Sunday.

WEA Secretary General Bishop Efraim Tendero said in a statement released Monday that he believed prayer was “still the greatest help that we can give.”

“As we pray for people in this difficult time, let us assure them of God’s love and care for those who are fearful,” Tendero said.

“Let’s pray especially for all the frontline medical and government workers — for protection, good health, and wisdom in all that they do. Working together with God’s help, we shall overcome COVID-19.”

https://www.christianpost.com/world/pope-francis-calls-for-global-reciting-of-lords-prayer-wednesday-ecumenical-bodies-pledge-to-participate.html