The relaxation is billed to begin on May 11, Mr Chris Ezem, the Secretary to the State Government, said in a statement made available to NAN, in Umuahia.

Ezem, who is also the Chairman of State Covid-19 Committee, said that the decision was reached after necessary consultations and considerations, including advice from medical experts.
According to him, Abia government has evolved protocols that will be implemented to manage the activities of residents with regard to the relaxation of the lockdown in the state.
He said that “all markets in the state shall open only three times a week: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, between the hours of 9am and 3pm daily.

“Relevant markets leaderships have constituted a 17-man enforcement team that shall ensure provision of a minimum of 20 litres bucket with tap for running water,

“In addition, each trader shall provide soap and sanitisers and the wearing of face masks by both sellers and buyers in the market.

“The enforcement teams are charged with the full responsibility of ensuring full compliance to physical distancing in the markets at all times.

“They are also vested with powers to justifiably seal off any shop that circumvents any or all of these directives.

“Let it be noted that should there be any lapse on the part of the enforcement team of any market leading to a breach of these directives such a market will be closed down by relevant local or state government authorities without any further recourse to the traders.

“Commercial tricycle (Keke) operators and all other intra-state commercial transporters will now operate from 8 am to 4 pm daily.

“While keke operators can only carry two passengers at every point in time, minibuses and other buses must not seat more than two persons per row with all passengers including the driver wearing face masks.”

Ezem said that Abia government had directed that burial ceremonies would be held only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays of the first and third week of every month.

He said that the burial ceremonies held in open fields would not have more than 30 persons in attendance while the burial ceremonies in private residences would not have more than 10 persons in attendance.

Ezem said that burial ceremonies could only be conducted with a permit from the state government, warning it was an offence to conduct or attend burial ceremonies without wearing face masks.
He said that “eateries and restaurants must operate only on a take-away basis and close latest by 7 pm daily.

“Management, staff and customers of such eateries/restaurants must always have their face masks on, and provide hand sanitisers and/or soap and running water for customers at the entry points.”
Ezem said that the state’s borders would remain closed, as inter-state movements were prohibited.

He, however, noted that vehicles transporting essential items authorised by the federal or state governments were exempted from the restriction of movement.

He said that the drivers and passengers of vehicles authorised for inter-state movements must wear face masks and be ready to subject themselves to search and medical test.