By Prince J Musa in Kenema
In an effort to minimize, if not prevent the spread of coronavirus during the upcoming festive season, the Kenema District Covid-19 Emergency Response Center (DICOVERC) has engaged stakeholders over the possibility of enforcing existing regulations to ensure compliance.
The essence of the meeting, according to officials, is to get the views of the local authorities for the enforcement of the measures.
Addressing authorities at the Albertson Hotel on Tuesday, 15th December in Kenema, the Resident Minister East, Andrew Ansu Fatorma, noted that since they were expecting visitors from abroad, it was necessary to strengthen the enforcement of certain measures.
“We are expecting people from abroad where Covid-19 has hit them and they may want to come to Sierra Leone. People are coming from abroad because they think Sierra Leone is safer with Covid-19,” he said.
He went on: “We have called you to sound your minds on how to protect our district during this festive season as people travel all over the district without knowing their status.”
Mr Fatorma described the meeting as an extension of the Provincial Security Committee (PROSEC) meeting, noting that compliance of Covid-19 regulations hasn’t been enforced effectively in recent time.
The Minister warned that the Sierra Leone government was yet to lift ban on public gathering, cultural activities, secret societies and entertainment shows, noting that any gathering beyond the approved number of people will be dissolved with the help of security forces.
The proposal put forward by the minister entailed that the local authorities have three days to sensitize the public, before the police will be called in to enforce the measures as late as this Saturday.
Speaking at the event, Kenema DICOVERC Coordinator, Umaru Vandi Kondovorh, emphasized on the importance to enforce the COVID-19 measures.
“Our present challenge is the influx of letters requesting for clearance for occasions. Anybody that want to stage program should write to DICOVERC for consent, otherwise it will be considered as illegal,” he warned.
Also speaking at the event was the civil society representative, Augustine Allieu Sannoh, who warned that there were already ongoing football competitions at Ngelehun and Lagor in Kenema District, under the name of Chief Minister and Ibrahim Swarray.
“These activities will undermine the enforcement of these Covid-19 measures at this time. Kenema District has clocked 112 days with no Covid case, and 95 days with nobody under quarantine, including Covid patients. We have learnt that people are not using face masks especially at hospitals, public offices and religious houses,” he said.
Alhaji Sheku Kamara, Chairman of the Inter Religious Council in Kenema, confirmed that the use of face masks at religious houses have dropped.
“It’s true people are not complying with the use of face masks and hand washing in our religious congregations. The re-enforcement of the law for this period is necessary and timely,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Inspector General of Police East, Thomas Mustapha Lahai, told the gathering that while police is not against the enforcement of the regulations, they would rather the right procedures be followed to do so.
“We as police can’t deny enforcing the law but DICOVERC should communicate with NACOVERC to come out with a public statement. We wouldn’t want the public to see our police as threat and for us to put the lives of our police at risk as it happened during election,” he said.
“Police will not be executing the law at this critical moment in Kenema while such enforcement will not be done the same way in other parts of the country,” he added.
AIG Mustapha Lahai went on to say that NACOVERC should strengthen the lungi airport for those travelling into the country, which to him is more paramount.
He also appealed to the stakeholders to extend the sensitization period to a week.
“Police will not like to clash with politicians as most people want to spend festive season with their people through social activities. Let DICOVERC and NACOVERC come up with national position statement on this festive period,” he said.
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