By DANIELA ITOE NGUM
The Prime Minister, Head of Government, H.E. Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute on April 30, 2020 uplifted some measures placed by the government to fight against the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute’s communiqué uplifted a series of ban in the leisure and transport sector, though emphasising the continuous compulsory wearing of face masks in public places to curb the further spread of the virus in the country.
In the wake of this news, denizens in Kumba have expressed mixed feelings at the move, The SUN learnt.
A recent visit to a cross section of snacks, restaurants and other leisure spots and some travelling agencies in the town of Kumba proves that most denizens adhere to the preventive measures on the compulsory wearing of face masks in public places, though the issue of social distancing in these places is yet to be respected.
Most of these spots provide soap and running water to their customers though at times some customers refuse making use of it.
Talking to one Chu Isaiah of Buea Road Kumba, he noted that: “I am not happy with the freedom given to bars, snacks, restaurants, and other drinking spots as well as transport sectors. To the best of my knowledge, these are some of the places where people are highly concentrated and the virus can be spread faster. I don’t think people wear masks while drinking nor can social distance be respected in these places especially in night clubs. I feel that the government made a huge mistake in uplifting these measures.”
On the part of owners of leisure spots and drivers, they expressed joy, given the difficulties they had been experiencing. Divine, a bar owner noted that: “I am very happy with the freedom the government has given us now. Before, we could not register any reasonable sales since most persons enjoy drinking at night than during the day. I had difficulties paying even my sales persons and providing for my family. Since the ban has been uplifted, business has been moving on well.”