“Social Distancing, Face Mask, 60% In A Bus” — Tracking Compliance Level As Economy Reopens In Lagos

President Muhammadu Buhari on 27 of April ordered the gradual easing of lockdown occassioned by the COVID-19 pandemic in two states, Lagos and Ogun and the federal capital territory, Abuja.

The decision to relax the lockdown, on the one hand is due to the economic crunch and financial strait that the lockdown has thrown many into, and on the other hand the inability of the government to put in place a comprehensive and all-encompassing social intervention program and palliatives.

Subsequently, order states followed suit and also declared a relaxation of the lockdown with modification, adaptation and expansion of the federal government guideline on the gradual easing of the lockdown in accordance with peculiarities of the states.

Consequently,  Lagos government announced that partial reopening of economic activities would return to the state.

In view of this development, and as part of the efforts to create avenue for people to make ends meet without eroding the gains of the COVID-19 fight, the state government reeled out some guidelines and directives that would guide this return to partial normalcy.

Some of this guidelines are, mandatory use of face masks in public, maintenance of social distancing at every gathering and also commercial transport loading only 60% capacity of their vehicle.

Others include, selected days for opening of food market and non food market.

Also read: COVID-19: Sanwo-Olu Issues New Date Of Resumption For Lagos Civil Servants

In order to measure the level of compliance with the new directives, Eko Hot Blog went around to access the situation of things.

Our reporter who went around disclosed that there’s widespread disregard for most of the directives, especially the social distancing order and 60% in a bus directive.

At a Guarantee Trust Bank in Ogba Aguda, in Ifako Ijaye local government area area of Lagos state, a large number of people were seen clustered in front of the bank as they await their turn to perform their financial transactions.

At a BRT terminal in Ikorodu, commuters were jam-packed in a relatively small open space.

Conversely, Some residents have  also taken to their social media pages to bemoaned the flagrant violation of the transportation guidelines with a free-for-all situation at bus stops and in buses.

This has led to a growing concern and fear about the imminent upsurge in COVID-19 cases in the state.

Commercial buses, popularly called Danfo, were seen carrying three on each row contrary to the guidelines by the government in order to curb the pandemic.

Recall that the State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, had announced that all commercial buses known as Danfo should not exceed 60 per cent of their capacity at this difficult time.

He instructed that yellow buses, popularly called ‘Danfo’, must not carry more than eight passengers (two on a row), tricycles are to carry just two passengers at the back.

“Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Lagos Bus Services Ltd (LBSL) must not convey more than 21 passengers, must not permit standing in their buses and should keep the air-conditioning systems switched off always.

“In the same vein, while private car owners must also observe the physical distancing,” Oladeinde added.

Reacting to the situation on twitter, a user with ‘quality time piece’ as her moniker said her itinerary for today had taken her to Isolo, Ikeja, and Berger, and on all the trips the buses loaded to their full capacity, a development which flouted the state transport guidelines.

She also disclosed that, in her observation, not everyone used face mask.