By Eseoghene Emuke
The Delta State Government has approved the reopening of cinemas, eateries, restaurants and film houses earlier shut down following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
It, however, warned that night clubs and lounges in the state will remain closed till further notice as the state begin gradually reopening of businesses in the state.
State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, disclosed this on Thursday at news conference in Asaba, the state capital.
Aniagwu said the approval followed the flattening of coronavirus curve in the state.
Delta currently on eight position in the Nigeria’s COVID-19 chart with 1,780 confirmed cases and of the number, 1,616 have recovered with 48 deaths recorded while 116 patients are currently undergoing treatment.
While announcing the reopening, the government ordered such businesses to operate at 50 per cent capacity as it continues to monitor the trend.
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It also directed that they must operate in line with COVID-19 protocols issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Aniagwu said, “Recall that in our last press briefing, we mentioned that churches and worship centres can now hold more than one service, that still remains, but today we are announcing further relaxation of the COVID-19 protocol and that is to the effect that owners of movies and cinema houses can now operate.
“But they can only do so at 50 percent capacity, in which case they are not going to fill everywhere. For instance if a movie theatre is supposed to take 50 persons, they should organise it such that it will take 25 persons at a time.
“They must constantly fumigate the halls, just as they must also observe all the important protocols that we have reeled out in the past, that is sanitising or washing of hands of persons coming into the theatre houses, and of course wearing of face mask is compulsory for everybody going to access such movie houses.”
The information commissioner further warned that the state government will not hesitate to shut down any business centre and hotels who contravened the COVID-19 protocols as the government continues to curtail the spread of the virus.
“We will continue to monitor what different persons are doing and if anybody is found to have contravened the protocols we are giving out, be rest assured that we will take action.
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“We sympathise with them because we know what it takes for their business centres to be closed for this period of time but its important that we preserve the lives of our people.
“As we continue to review the processes, we will inform them on further directives but for now, they must operate at 50 per cent and then observing other preventive protocols.
“Our decision is to also enable our people working in such places to return to work and to also allow these businesses become functional again.” he added.
He said restaurants in hotels can now operate but without buffet adding that if people must be allowed to eat in the hotel restaurants, the officials must be the ones to serve them.
