NEWS
COVID-19: Kogi Gov Subjects Visiting NCDC Team Leader to 14-day Isolation
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state, Thursday, ordered the leader of the officials of the National Centre for Disease Control(NCDC), Dr Andrew Noah, who was on a visit to the state to go into isolation at the state quarantine centre for shaking hands with his Protocol Chief, Sunday Ayenibe at the Government House, Lokoja.
The governor gave the order when the visiting NCDC official shook hands with the state Director-General of Protocol, while exchanging microphone after speaking to introduce his team to the audience.
The governor said that the step was to ensure that the laid down procedure of checkmating the scourge by NCDC was strictly followed.
The visiting officials of the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC were sent as a delegation of rapid response team to ascertain the true status of Kogi as a COVID-19 free state.
Earlier, the team led by Dr Noah Andrew had arrived the Lugard House seat of the state government to present a letter titled “Deployment of rapid response squad to help in fighting COVID-19,” said that the mission of the Centre was to provide logistics to all states of the Federation of which Kogi could not be left out.
He said that two members of the team would be left behind to help the state and support efforts of the state government.
“we are here to support the state in shipping swab and samples and ascertain the preparedness of the state in fighting COVID-19.
He urged Government and people to observe social distancing and use face masks at all times as part of the measures to fight the scourge.
Speaking shortly after receiving the letter, governor Bello outlined steps taken so far by the state to fight the covid-19 pandemic.
He said that the state acquired some experience in fighting infectious diseases such as Lassa fever, malaria and that the experience had been brought to bear on fighting COVID-19.
“So far Kogi state has had 100 percent recovery rate of all infectious diseases since 2017 owing to measures put in place by the squadron committee set up to fight the disease.
“In spite of the widespread death the world over, we in Kogi have had no confirmed case even though there are many false alarms, which turned out to be false. We have put all it takes in place to check any eventuality.
“Kogi state is highly experienced in treating infectious diseases because of high Lassa fever incident, that is why it’s able to combat COVID-19.
“We have been able to sensitive our people on all languages spoken in the state. All 239 wards have been sensitised, three modern isolation Centres have been set up, which are currently lying idle.
Meanwhile the leader visiting officials of the National Centre for Disease Control NCDC, Dr Andrew Noah who was orderd to be isolate by the Kogi state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has flee the state to avoid being subjected to COVID-19 test.
This was disclosed late Thursday night by the State Commissioner for Information Kingsley Fanwo in a statement made available to journalists in Lokoja.
Governor Bello had ordered the leader of the NCDC delegation to proceed on isolation for shaking hands with the Director of Protocol, Sunday Ayenibe after taking microphone from him.
The governor had also explained that Dr Andrew had contaveined the rules and regulations of NCDC and so should be tested for COVID-19 since he was coming from the epicenter of the disease.
“It was a drama today at the Kogi State Government House as the officials of the National Center for Disease Control sent to ascertain the COVID-19 status flee the state ” Fanwo stated.
It would be recalled that Kogi is one of the two states that are yet to record a single COVID-19 case in the federation.
The Officials of the NCDC said they were sent to the State to assist the state in responding to the challenges posed by the pandemic.
The Officials said they were not ready to be tested for COVID-19 and went back to Abuja.
He said that why the NCDC Officials feared being tested was a matter of concern to the Government of Kogi State.
The Commissioner said that NCDC should come hard on its Officials for violating its rules.
“Today, the Governor showed the statesmanship in him once again by appreciating the support of the NCDC and defending the health interests of his people.
“NCDC quarantined the Chinese professionals that came to give them technical support and also took their samples for test. It is a normal practice and protocol set by NCDC.
“So NCDC will have a lot to explain as to why its officials refused to test for COVID-19. How can we be sure of their status? What are their fears? Why did NCDC sent people who are afraid of test to our State? What was their intention?
“The officials that came have done an integrity blow to the works of the NCDC. Is there something they are hiding? It is time NCDC opened up and apologize to the good people of Kogi State.
“How will they encourage people to test when it’s own officials are afraid of test? This is sad”Fanwo observed.
By David Torough, Abuja
Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) in conjunction with Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs), Hope Alive for Possibilities Initiative (HAPI) and Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), have appealed to the Benue government to pass the Disability Act into law in the state to enable PWDs enjoy their full rights.
The trio groups’ delegation led by Personal Assistant to the Governor on Disabilities, Ben Anshe, made the appeal when they presented a copy of the draft bill to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mynim, in his Makurdi, the state capital.
In their separate speeches, Anshe who is also the chairman of JONAPWD, HAPI representative, Onah Adeyi stressed that if domesticated in Benue state, the Disability Act would give PWDs legal protection, grant them access to services, include them in development and show compliance with international obligations.
Anshe recommended on behalf of the three organizations saying: “we urge the Benue state Ministry of Justice to review and vet the draft Disability and the Commissioner of Justice as the chief legal officer of the state should advise the state government on the proposed law and recommend it passage.
“We call for active engagement with stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations PWDs and the private sector, to solicit input and build consensus on the commendation process.
“We recommend capacity-building initiatives for relevant state agencies and personnel to enhance their understanding of disability rights and ensure effective implementation of domesticated legislation.
“We advocate for the establishment of mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the implications of domesticated disability rights legislation, with a focus on accountability and impact assessment”.
He lamented they suffered a lot of negligence in the past administration to have the law domesticated and appealed to the current state government to favour them on the issue.
In his response, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mynim, assured that he “will push in the law through the State Executive Council to the state assembly” and follow it up until it’s domesticated.
He acknowledged that within the North Central, it was only Benue State that has not domesticated the law and promised to take it up “since government is a continuum”.
The commissioner who commended the organizations for presenting the draft bill also appreciated them for their patience.
A middle-age man was, in the early hours of Tuesday, electrocuted while trying to vandalise a BEDC transformer on Airport road in Benin.
The deceased, whose identity has not yet been ascertained, was said to have succeeded in cutting some of the cables before he was electrocuted.
The incident drew the ire of passers-by, as many were seen raining curses on the deceased for being the one responsible for putting the area in darkness.
One of the residents of the area, Mr Emmanuel James, blamed the action of the deceased on a get-rich-quick syndrome.
Speaking at the scene of the incident, the BEDC Electricity Plc’s acting Head, Corporate Communications, Mrs Evelyn Gbiwen, decried what she called incessant act of energy theft and vandalism of the company’s facilities.
Reports says that BEDC’s franchise states include: Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti.
Gbiwen called on people to desist from vandalising the company’s transformers, stressing that this could have significant impacts on the community.
She expressed the regret that in spite of BEDC’s regular warning to the members of the public to desist from vandalism and energy theft, many still indulged in the act, which she described as dangerous.
“This singular act of the vandal has thrown the entire community into total darkness,” Gbiwen said.
She appealed to residents to be vigilant and protect BEDC’s facilities from vandals so that the company could serve them better. (NAN)
The Nasarawa Government has proscribed ethnic vigilance groups in the state.
This is contained in an Executive Order signed by Gov. Abdullahi Sule on Tuesday in Lafia.
He said that the order was an exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 97A of the Penal Code and acting on the advice of the State Security Council.
“The Nomad Vigilante and other ethnic vigilante groups are hereby proscribed and declared unlawful societies dangerous to the good governance of the state.
“The order may be cited as the Penal Code and Proscription of Nomad Vigilante and other similar Organizations Order, 2024 and shall deemed to have come into operation on April 15, 2024,” he said.
Similar Organisations, he said, includes any association, movement or group of persons or society in whatever name called or form, with the aim and objectives of providing security amongst particular ethnic groups within Nasarawa through the use of force or arms etc,” part of the Executive Order No. 1 of 2024 reads.
“Accordingly, the Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya nomad vigilante, Bassa vigilante, Eggon vigilante and other similar organisations are henceforth proscribed, and declared unlawful societies that are inimical to good governance in the state,” he added.
The governor then directed, that members of the Kungiwar Zaman Lafiya nomad Vigilante, Bassa Vigilante, Eggon Vigilante and other similar organisations, should hand over all weapons or arms in their possession, along with uniforms to the commissioner of police Nasarawa, within two weeks from the date of issuance of the order..(NAN).
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