The Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi, on Monday, banned all forms of public gatherings in the state for 31 days.
Umahi disclosed the ban during a town hall meeting with residents, which held at the International Conference Centre, Abakaliki.
Public gatherings, according to the governor, included burials, weddings, conferences, seminars, among others.
Represented by his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, Umahi noted that the ban was for a period of one month in the first instance.
According to him, the ban was part of measures being put in place by the state government to protect the people from contracting the deadly coronavirus which had been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.
He said, “It is painful to take the decision but government had to reason that it is better to let the dead bury the dead for now. But if you feel that you cannot wait, then you can take the corpse and bury just you and your family without any ceremony and invitation to anybody.”
The governor also directed civil servants in the state to work from home, from March 25, 2020.
He added, however, that those on essential services were exempted from the order.
