The news that was doing the rounds about an intended 14 days lockdown to be announced by the President was scary for many citizens who were ill-prepared for another round of such an exercise, considering the prevailing economic circumstances on the ground.
However, a press release from State House issued last Friday, 10th April, 2020 with three new measures designed to contain the spread of the Coronavirus outbreak in the country brought smiles to the faces of many citizens and non-citizens when it was discovered that the proposed 14 days lockdown was going to be partial or inter-district. It only restricts movement of persons at inter-district level.
Many have argued that the people of this country are not prepared to sit at home and be restricted from going to their businesses or work places for a period of 14 days. Judging from the current circumstances, it was also feared that there was going to be a civil disobedience should the President decide to proclaim a full time in-house 14 days lockdown.
All three new measures, stated in the press release, were accepted by many Sierra Leoneans and even foreigners in the country.
The night curfew, announced from 9pm to 6pm, has been highly appreciated by many, just as the readjustment made on official working hours for public and private workers from 9am to 4pm.
The pass system, introduced for the transportation of goods and essential services from one district to another, has also been widely commended by many citizens this medium interviewed.
“We were worried about the shortage of food items during this period, but with the pass system, introduced for the transportation of essential goods, our fears have been allayed,” a trader in Kenema, Hajah Hawanatu Jabbie, told nightwatch in a cell phone interview yesterday.
According to one petty trader, on Abacha Street in Freetown, Jariatu S. Kargbo, most of them live on what she referred to as ‘hand to mouth’ basis, meaning that what they sell for the day is what they eat as a family.
“To lock us in our houses permanently will cost us dearly,” she confessed.
A good number of Freetonians, especially petty traders, commended the President and government for what they referred to as “relaxed measures” introduced by the government in fighting the novel COVID-19 in the country.