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Last night (Tuesday) I kept vigil at the boundary between Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State, personally taking part in enforcing our government’s order banning human and vehicular movements into the state.
I arrived the Calabar-Itu head bridge before mid-night on Tuesday, spent several hours with the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Anozia Uche and members of the State Covid-19 task force, departing at about 9am on Wednesday.
As a consequence, there were long lines of vehicles on both sides of the boundary, as the taskforce prevented movement across the boundary.
I denied myself sleep so that the people of the state can themselves sleep.
Leading the enforcement myself was to ensure that the boundary was totally locked down in line with my directive to ensure the state remains Covid19 free.
Strict enforcement of the order was necessitated by the reality that all of the neighbouring states have recorded incidences of coronavirus infections.
At about 8am Wednesday morning, I personally screened trapped vehicles, allowing only those on essential services, including newspaper distributors to make it through the boundary, after being tested by medical personnel. Those considered to be on non-essential services, were turned back.
I will be embarking on a similar exercise at the border between Cameroon and the state.
I needed to feel the pulse of the team enforcing the lockdown by taking part in the exercise himself.
Our ambition is to have zero incidence of Coronavirus in the state. While other states are locking down, we are locking out. We are locking out because inside our state, we are safe and free.
Those who locked down, locked down with the virus but for Cross River, we are locking out, not locking down. That way we are staying safe.
