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Edo govt shuts businesses in Benin after residents shun COVID-19 screening

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The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has ordered the immediate shutdown of trading activities in Lagos Street, the commercial hub of the Benin metropolis, as part of measures to check the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, who disclosed this in a statement Friday, said the decision to shut down trading activities in the area followed the refusal of residents to comply with the state government’s directives to participate in the ongoing screening for COVID-19.

He said: “The Edo State Government has ordered the immediate shutdown of all form of activities including trading on Lagos Street, a business hub in Benin City, over the refusal of the residents to participate in ongoing screening and testing exercise to halt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The participation of all residents in the exercise is important in curtailing the spread of the virus in the state. As a business hub, a large number of residents in Benin City and other parts of the state visit Lagos Street daily for various activities thereby making the area a hotspot for the spread of COVID-19.

READ ALSO: Ogun govt extends COVID-19 lockdown by one week

“This makes it important for residents and other persons in the area to participate in the exercise. Lagos Street will remain closed to all forms of activities until the residents participate in the screening and testing exercise.”

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