By Chidi Akanazu
Owerri, June 1, 2020 ( The National Orientation Agency (NOA) said its sensitisation campaign to Imo communities and streets was to re-educate Imo residents on the need to maintain the COVID-19 protocols despite the relaxation by government.
NOA State Director, Mr Vitus Ekeocha stated this during a Motorised Enlightenment Campaign tagged ” Be Responsible, Do Your Part to Rid Nigeria of COVID-19″ held in Owerri on Tuesday.
He said the programme was part of the agencies way to communicate government policies, programmes and activities to members of the public in the state.
“NOA nationwide has embarked on a public enlightenment programme aimed at ridding the states of COVID-19.
“We want every citizen of Nigeria to know that COVID-19 is real and to be able to communicate same to their friends, relatives and well wishers.
“There is need to deepen the COVID-19 enlightenment. People should continue to observe personal and environmental hygiene, wear mask, wash their hands regularly under running water, use alcohol based sanitiser and observe social distancing.
“We are also advising Imo people, especially those in the rural areas to report returnees ‘from any quarter’ that entered their community or places of residence who unknown to them may be ‘silent carriers’ to authorities for immediate action.
“This disease is real and not a scam. The figure in Imo state is increasing and we dont want it to continue that way,” he said.
Ekeocha explained that the motorised campaign would focus majorly on remote streets and corners of Owerri where people might not have known much about the coronavirus such as Amaigbo, Oparanozie, and Umezuruike streets in Owerri metropolis aside other areas.
He regretted that despite previous announcements and other activities of government to curtail the spread of COVID-19, people are yet to comply to government directives especially on mask wearing and social distancing and called for a change of attitude.
He said that his campaign team would equally meet with other stakeholders in the state such as religious leaders, traditional rulers, members of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport workers and market leaders on imbibing the government protocols on COVID-19.
The NOA boss in Imo added that the government established taskforce had already started its enforcement of the protocols especially as it relates to transporters and number of passengers the were directed to carry.
Our correspondent reports that the NOA motorised campaign set off from the agency’s office at Okigwe Road, through Imo Government House along Wetheral Road to Douglas and pass through Royce Road, to Umezuruike, Oparanozie, Amaigbo streets to other areas before retiring back to their office.
