States without coronavirus in Nigeria: Wetin Cross River state dey do to remain Covid-19 free

On February 28, 2020, Nigeria confam im first case of coronavirus.

Di case na one Italian citizen wey bin dey work for Nigeria and return from Milan, Italy to Lagos, Nigeria on 25th February 2020, Osagie Ehanire, Nigeria federal health minister, bin tok for statement.

By 29 April, 2020, di kontri don record over 1500 cases with 44 deaths and di virus don spread enta 33 states including di Federal Capital territory.

Di three states wey free na Cross River, Yobe and Kogi states.

Cross River state na di only state for di South South wey never confam any case of di virus. Di state dey in between kontri and states wey don confam cases.

Cross River dey share border with Cameroon to di East wey don record more dan 1,500 cases, Akwa Ibom to di south wey get 12 cases, Benue to di north wey get one case, Abia and Ebonyi to di west wey get two and one respectively as at 29, April, 2020.

So how Cross River don manage to stay clean?

Govnor Ben Ayade

BBC
Govnor Ben Ayade don order make dem dey give free mask to im state pipo

‘Dem act fast’

Cross River act fast to secure dia borders.

One tori pesin with Correct FM for Calabar, di state capital, MCD Pipo tell BBC Pidgin say, di state dey very proactive and dem act fast.

According to MCD, goment work hard to secure di borders, and enforce border closure, MCD add say goment officials bin dey take turns to patrol di borders for di state, including di state govnor imsef.

Dr Betta Edu, wey be Cross River state commissioner of health tell BBC Pidgin say, “na Cross River be di first state, even before Lagos State, wey start to dey monitor dia border, dey screen pipo wey dey come inside our state”.

BBC Pidgin Covid 19 graphics

BBC

Dr Edu also tok say dem sensitise pipo for di state, “ova 3,800 health workers don dey go round since January to tell pipo for inside villages dem about coronavirus and Lassa fever.

Di state also act fast to ban social gathering, restrict public gathering to not more dan five pipo, unlike wetin you go see for some oda states wey be like 20 to 25 pipo.

Dr Edu also say dem use health workers to sensitise pipo, with di help of town criers wey enta villages to spread di message.”

‘No mask, no movement’

Cross River na one of di states wey first act on di compulsory face mask for public policy.

Tori pesin MCD say di state na one of di first to enforce di no face mask no movement policy for di kontri.

Di state comot with “No Mask, No Movement”, to encourage pipo to dey wear mask wen dem dey go outside. Di state also ban social gatherings, wey include bars, churches, mosques and clubs, but small-small scale businesses still dey operate but with beta warning to observe di social distancing rule.

Plenti pipo dey wear mask

BBC
Gov. Ayade bin order di “No Mask, No Movement” rule to comot lockdown for di state

Di state govnor, Ben Ayade tel BBC Pidgin say, “you know say our state, dem go school well-well, since I don tok am make dem wear face mask, evribodi don dey wear face mask.

We dey produce am and give am out for free. So you no go waka enta Calabar see pein wey no dey wear face mask.”

Di state wey get one of di biggest garment factories don start to dey produce face mask plenti with di use of ankara materials and na im dem dey give di pipo for free.

Di govnor wey be microbiologist give advice say “you fit use any kind material take make mask, to make sure e dey work, blow air from inside, you no suppose feel am for di back of di mask.”

Pesin wey dey wear face mask for garment factory dey saw mas

BBC
Cross River dey use dia garment factor to take mass produce face masks

Cross River ready for coronavirus?

According to MCD, di ansa to dat question no go fit clear until maybe e happun.

But di govnor don nack chest say dem ready. Govnor Ayade tok say e dey build correct isolation centre in case dat on happun.

Ayade add say di koko now be say, make dem find jobs for dia pipo, so dat di economy no go bad when dis coronavirus mata pass. For now our own palliative measures na say we dey give food to di old and work to di young.”