The government maintained that the delivery unit would ensure transparency and accountability in the government programmes and projects. The Director-General and Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Government Delivery, Lekan Onamusi disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing newsmen in his office.

Onamusi described the delivery office as a ‘waste control department’, adding that it would help the government manage its finances. He said the office would be technically-driven and concentrate on the ISEYA agenda of the state government.

He said, “Immediately after His Excellency Dapo Abiodun won the election, he pledged to the good people of Ogun state that he was going to run the government with a different approach; with efficiency, accountability, transparency and change in orientation among stakeholders and that was one of the reasons why he set up this office.

“Our job here is to look at the government initiative economic programmes like projects and to see how we would support and work together to promote MDAs. We want to be sure that each project assigned to be undertaken is done with the right cost, competent people, and quality materials will be used.

“Our work is technical, competent driven, we will need a lot of staff to be able to undertake the various work. We are going to be visiting the MDAs, trying to understand what exactly the MDA is all about, their purpose, initiatives, and the projects they have.

“We will plan our work around the ISEYA mantra, the reason why we would do that is because we want to be sure that we reach every expected departmental pillar. We don’t want to over concentrate on infrastructure at the detriment of youth development, at the detriment of education, if we go in line with the projects, we would be able to give coverage to the intentions of His Excellency.”

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Kunle Somorin, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Dapo Abiodun.

The governor’s spokesman said the religious centres and other public places have been reopened following the success recorded in flattening the curve of COVID-19 transmission in the state.

“Government is aware of the excruciating implications of COVID-19 lockdown but we have emplaced measures and improved on testing to stem the tide.”

“Empirical field research indicates that we have managed to stem community spread and treatment of the virus very well.

“We are convinced that the opening of schools and entertainment centres would not harm our people. We would continue to monitor the development,” the governor said.

Recall that the governor had in March ordered the closure of the businesses and religious centres over the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and later order a gradual reopening.

InsideOjodu had earlier reported that there was outrage by parents of pupils in private secondary schools in the state over the request of N25,000 COVID-19 test fee by the government.

But the governor in a statement on Monday titled, “Ogun Makes COVID-19 Test Free For All Returning SS3 Boarding Students”, has stepped down COVID-19 test as a requirement for each graduating pupil to resume.

The statement read, “After reviewing these developments, I have today immediately directed that the Government Laboratories carry out tests for all returning SS3 boarding students at no cost. I have also directed that all those who have paid for tests be refunded.

“The health of our children remains our utmost priority, however in view of the total number of boarding students to be tested (5,340private and 500 public), and bearing in mind the limitation of our installed testing capacity of 500 tests per day, it may not be feasible for all boarding students to get tested and get their results prior to resumption or even exams which commence on 17th August 2020.

“Consequently, the State Government has, therefore, stepped down the COVID-19 test as a mandatory requirement for returning students in our exit classes.

“We, therefore, enjoin Private School owners to exercise their duty of care to their pupils. The admittance of students into boarding houses in private secondary schools will be at the discretion of the management and the Parents Teachers Association of such private schools.

“Ogun State Government recommends that students who do not have to stay in the boarding house should attend school from home, especially those with underlying health conditions.

“I have also directed the provision of face masks to all students in both private and public schools. The inconvenience and confusion experienced yesterday is highly regrettable and my sincere apologies to the parents and students so affected.

“The quality and standard of education and well being of our children are issues that are very dear to my heart.

“I appreciate the cooperation, support, resilience and understanding of all the people of Ogun State towards flattening the curve of COVID-19 in Ogun State. It is my prayer that this phase will end soonest.”

This was contained in a statement released by the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Primary and Secondary Education, Ronke Soyombo on Saturday.

Speaking on how visible it is for the students to get tested, Soyombo said government, through the Ogun State Ministry of Health, has made provision for a COVID-19 and Malaria test for all SS3 boarding students in the state.

According to her, the public health care facilities opened for the tests between July 31 and August 3 are, the 250 MTR, Okemosan, Abeokuta; Ogun State General Hospital, Ota and Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.

Soyombo also added that as part of efforts of the State Government to ensure a safe learning academic atmosphere, instruction have been given to all principals of both public and private schools to inform SS3 learners that all the returning boarding students are to stay in the school hostels only.

She added that private hostels are exempted from accommodating students during this period, stressing that sanctions will be meted out to any defaulting school.

This is as a state government delegation visited churches and mosques in Egba Ijebu and Remo areas of the State to ascertain their level of preparedness.

Recall in March, the Federal government declared a total lockdown of the country including churches and mosques so as to curb spread of coronavirus pandemic.

The Federal Government has since lifted the restriction on worship centres across the nation after the relaxation of lockdown.

But, Gov Dapo Abiodun, said worship centres in Ogun should remain closed due to the rise in cases of COVID-19 in the State.

However, responding to calls by residents for the reopening of religious centres, the government said it met with religious leaders to observe their level of compliance with COVID-19 guidelines.

On Wednesday, a delegation, which comprised the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker; the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tunde Odunlami, as well as the Environment Commissioner, Abiodun Abudu-Balogun, met with religious leaders.

The government representatives also inspected the preventive measures put in place by respective faith-based organisations.

Worship centers visited included the Redemption Camp; Ijebu-Ode Central Mosque; St Sebastine’s Catholic Church, Ijebu-Ode; Sagamu Central Mosque; Ibara Baptist Church; Headquarters of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries; Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Ake; Ansar-u-deen Central Mosque, Adedotun, among others.

Curfew period in the state now falls between 10 pm and 4 am, as recommended by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Channels Tv reports.

Meanwhile, Governor Dapo Abiodun in a briefing on Friday said all other restrictions, guidelines, and measures taken to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state will remain in place.

The Governor also said engagement with religious leaders was still ongoing over how public religious activities can resume in the state.

Abiodun said his government will unveil guidelines on Friday to enable religious activities to restart on June 19.

“I indicated in my briefing last week that our Administration would engage religious leaders towards working out modalities on gradually lifting restrictions on religious activities,” Abiodun said.

“This was in accordance with the minimum recommendations of the COVID-19 PTF, subject to peculiarities of affected states. We therefore met with leading religious bodies, as we have always been inclusive, and we arrived at the following conclusions:

“(A) Subject to the review of the Sub-Committee (which includes some of the religious leaders earlier engaged) we set up, I will be unveiling on Friday, 12th June, 2020 some guidelines to enable the gradual opening of religious activities on Friday, 19th June.

“(B) A Joint Task Force (including religious leaders, government & security agencies) will be set up to monitor compliance with agreed guidelines, which would be regularly reviewed according to developments.

“(C) The afore-disclosed are despite the remarkable efforts of our Administration, as acknowledged by the religious leaders, who clearly understood the reality of the pandemic which is still very much with us.”

The governor also said the state would soon commence strict enforcement of wearing of face masks in the public, saying it would help flatten the spread of coronavirus.

The governor in the statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, urged the residents of the state to consider the extension announced by the President on Monday a necessary sacrifice to defeat an invisible and deadly enemy.

He said, “Therefore, the current window of relaxation of the lockdown in the state from 7am to 2pm, which follows the same pattern of last week, will still be available for this Wednesday (15th April) and Friday (17th April, 2020) only.

“This is to allow the residents prepare for the extension of the lockdown and restock on food and other essential items. However, Ogun State borders remain closed.

“It should be emphasised that people should only go out if they need to and are required at all times when outside their homes to wear a face mask, including locally made face masks, even as they observe other social distancing measures.

“The state will soon commence strict enforcement of wearing of face mask in the public as it has been shown to help flatten the spread of the virus.”