Lagos government asks 70% of civil servants to stay at home over coronavirus

Civil servants from grade level one to 12 in the Lagos State workforce have been asked to stay at home by the state’s government. 

In a public address on Sunday March 22, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the stay-at-home order would last for an initial period of 14 days.

He further disclosed that the stay-at-home order does not affect first responders who he listed to include medical personnel, fire service officers, personnel of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and Lagos Waste Management Authority.

Governor Sanwo-Olu who revealed that patients have been evacuated from the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba,  said facilities are also being set up at the Gbagada General Hospital and five other locations around the state where confirmed cases can be treated.

He said; 

“In addition to previous measures, I hereby direct that all public officers in the entire unified public service from grade level one to 12 which constitutes about 70% of our entire workforce should stay at home from Monday, March 23, 2020, for fourteen days at the first instance. 

“We’ll review this as time goes on. Members of the public are advised to refrain from visiting any of our physical offices and to transact such businesses as is possible on the phone or online channels.”

Lagos currently has 22 out the 30 cases of coronavirus recorded in the country. Two of the patients have been discharged after recovering from the disease.