LASG Clears Air On COVID-19 N500,000 Penalty

The Lagos State Government has obliged residents and religious leaders to take responsibility by complying with all safety measures imposed by relevant authorities aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 amid the second wave of the virus.

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The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso made the call while clarifying the reported risk by the state government to impose a sanction of N500,000 fine against defaulter of the ban on crossover service in the state.

Eko hot Blog gathered that the government urged all churches in the state to respect the curfew in place and avoid physical crossover duties and large gatherings on December 31, 2020.

Omotoso said, “What the state government is saying and interested in for all churches to take responsibility against the spread of COVID-19 by staying from large gatherings of people which could easily spike infection of the virus which is already in it’s the deadlier second wave.

“The state government, led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been clamoring on the need to comply with all safety protocols regarding COVID-19. So, when a reporter from a media organization called me earlier and asked what would be the penal sanction against defaulter of a ban on crossover service in the state, my response was that a subsisting public health safety HSS has taken supervision of that with a fine between N20, 000 and N500,000 on the discretion of the magistrates.

Omotoso stressed that following the uncertainty as to the actual number of people infected with the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, the current barb in the number of infected persons (particularly in Lagos State) and the projected surge in the number of COVID-19 patients, had made it necessary for the Governor of Lagos State and the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020.