As Nigeria records more cases of coronavirus, the Anambra state government has banned public gathering in the state until further notice, starting from Monday, March 23.

The state government, under the leadership of Governor Willie Obiano in a statement released on Thursday, March 19, provided health advisory for various sectors in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The government advised traders who go to the markets to wash their hands frequently, with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and allow it to air dry.

It also recommended the use of hand sanitizers handshaking, hugging and all other forms of contact salutation are strongly discouraged.

“A distance of 6-feet should be maintained between customers and traders,” the government said.

It also advised the leadership of the markets to buy an infrared thermometer to test any cases of their member or customer falling sick in the market.

The state government directed that all its tertiary institutions must proceed on vacation effective Friday, March 20, until further notice.

It instructed the management of the primary and secondary schools to provide handwash stations at the entrance of all schools and ensure that all students and visitors wash their hands frequently.

The state government further directed that inter-house sports competitions be suspended until further notice.

It also directed that all the primary and secondary schools in the state must go on indefinite vacation effective Friday, March 27.

“Management of all hotels must take the temperature of guests and visitors with a non-contact infrared thermometer,” the state government said.

Similar instructions were also issued to transport companies and the passengers in the state. The general residents in the state are advised to avoid handshaking, hugging and all other forms of contact salutation and avoid unnecessary travels.

“All residents returning from countries and states with active COVID-19 cases, must self-isolate for 14-days and contact the Anambra state Public Health Emergency Operation Center immediately (PHEOC). During self-isolation, they must take their temperatures twice daily. PHEOC numbers are ‪080309531; 08145434416;0810446408‬,” the statement concluded.

The Bola Tinubu Colloquium, an annual event in honour of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s birthday has been postponed indefinitely due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The colloquium was initially scheduled for Sunday, March 29, Asiwaju Tinubu’s 68th birthday.

In a statement by the Planning Committee signed by Mrs Foluso Idumu, the organisers said it decided to take the painful decision in view of the prevailing circumstances.

“After careful consultation with all relevant stakeholders regarding the health and safety of all our guests, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the 12th Bola Tinubu Colloquium, scheduled for March 29th 2020 in Lagos, till further notice,”

“Following increased and overwhelming concerns about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we felt this was the best way to proceed during such an unprecedented global situation”.

“We are however certain that this is the right decision given the prevailing circumstances”.

The Lagos State government on Wednesday announced that any gathering above 50 persons is prohibited as part of measures to guard against the spread of the virus”.

Private fuel marketers have yet to reduce the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), while retail stations belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation have started selling at N125 per litre.

The PUNCH correspondent, who visited several filling stations including Oando, Mobil and Capital Oil and Gas on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as well as Total at Ikosi-Ketu, on Thursday morning, observed that the private marketers were selling at N145 per litre of petrol.

“What we are asking the government is that: who is going to pay us between the old price and the new price on our old stock? And without them verifying our old stock and telling us what they will pay us and when they will pay us, we will not load,” a top official of one of the fuel marketers’ associations told our correspondent on condition of anonymity.

He said marketers would continue to sell the product at the old rate pending when the issues would be resolved.

“Marketers are holding their strategy session. We will have a common front. The GMD (of NNPC) has invited us for a stakeholders’ meeting, which should have been done before the announcement of the new price. By the end of today, we will have a clearer picture of how they are going to involve us,” he added.

The Federal Government had noted on Wednesday that the drop in crude oil prices had lowered the expected open market price of imported petrol below the official pump price of N145 per litre.

“Therefore, Mr President has approved that Nigerians should benefit from the reduction in the price of PMS which is a direct effect of the crash in global crude oil prices,” the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said in a statement.

He said the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency would subsequently issue a monthly guide to the NNPC and marketers on the appropriate pricing regime.

The NNPC, on Wednesday, directed all its retail station to change the retail pump price to N125 per litre from N145.

The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, said the corporation had reviewed its ex-coastal, ex-depot and NNPC retail pump prices in compliance with the directives of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, on the pricing of PMS.

He said, “Effective March 19, 2020, NNPC ex-coastal price for PMS has been reviewed downwards from N117.6/litre to N99.44/litre while the ex-depot price is reduced from N133.28/litre to N113.28/litre.

“These reductions will, therefore, translate to N125/litre retail pump price. Despite the obvious cost implication of this immediate adjustment to the corporation, NNPC is delighted to effect this massive reduction of N20/litre for the benefit of all Nigerians.”