In Gombe, 3 commissioners, 5 lawmakers, adviser test positive

The Gombe state taskforce on COVID-19 Tuesday said three commissioners, five state lawmakers and a special adviser have been confirmed to be COVID-19 positive in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Ibrahim Alhassan Kwami announced this during the committee’s daily briefing on the pandemic.

The state Governor, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, had last week Thursday ordered the closure of Government House and directed that all its staff, including   political appointees who, in the course of their assignments, had something doing in the place to surrender themselves for sample test to know their status.

A director in the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG)   was recently reported to have died of the pandemic, a development that sent shivers down the spine of the staff.

Addressing journalists, the commissioner said: “More tests are currently ongoing and that hopefully, all civil servants in the state, as well as members of the public, will be tested to ascertain their status.”

Also speaking, chairman of the task force, Professor Idris Muhammed stated that in just four days, the state recorded 63 positive cases of COVID-19 out of the 609 samples taken to Abuja for  testing.

He said the increase in positive cases may not be unconnected with the massive test undertaken across the state to ascertain the status of all residents.

The chairman said the taskforce would liaise with communities in the state to ensure proper contact tracing and testing.

 “Our fear that community spread of the virus could land the state into more trouble if money is not released to the community to continue its activities and engage in massive testing.

“Gombe state has so far recorded 10 deaths with 89 active cases at the moment. Just now, we received results which showed that out of six results, four were positive.

“Now with this development, we have established that there is a community spread of the virus in the state, indicating that we must engage communities through massive social mobilization, advocacy and education.”

Delta
Also, Delta state government has converted Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba to a 70-bed capacity isolation centre as part of efforts to boost the COVID-19 fight in the state. 

 Secretary to Delta State Government Chiedu Ebie and Commissioner for Health Dr Mordi Ononye were among top government functionaries that inspected the readiness of the isolation centre to receive patients.

Inspecting the facility Tuesday, they expressed confidence that while efforts were being stepped up to curb the spread of the virus, the state was prepared in case of an upsurge in cases.
 Ebie said, giving the speed with which the virus spreads, the state government was preparing isolation centres across the state to ensure quick response to save the lives of Deltans.

He disclosed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in conjunction with Agip and other partners erected the isolation centre at the stadium.
“Our resolve is to provide isolation facilities across the state and this project was started about four weeks ago and will be put into use any moment from now as almost all the equipment needed are in place.
“With the manner with which the virus is spreading, government cannot handle it alone and corporate organisations and well meaning individuals have come to render assistance, NNPC/Agip came together and galvanised other oil companies to provide these facilities,” Ebie said.
In his remarks, Dr Ononye said the isolation centre had comprehensive health facilities, including accommodation for the patients and care givers.

Niger relaxes lockdown

Meanwhile, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state has ordered the police and other security agencies enforcing lockdown rules in the state to dismantle all blockades to allow for free movement of people as government further relaxes curfew to six hours at night.

Bello, in a state wide broadcast Tuesday, said curfew is now within 10pm and 4am.

He said: “Henceforth, markets, banks and other places of business activities should be opened with strict adherence to all safety measures” adding that there shall no more be lockdown days.

The governor directed the state ministry of education to liaise with relevant stakeholders to arrive at a safe date for resumption of schools in the state.

He said: “As at today, the state has recorded 46 cases of COVID-19 and one death, out of which 26 of them have been discharged and reunited with their families. This represents more than half of the cases we have had to manage.”  

The governor further said:  “All cases confirmed in the state are so far limited to nine local governments out 25 local governments of the state.”

He said additional isolation centres had been built to cater for repatriated almajiris to reunite with their families and curtail chances of contracting the virus.

 ‘Health workers get 2 months’ hazard allowance Friday’

Meanwhile, for standing up to be counted in the COVID-19 fight, the federal government has approved two months’ hazard allowance for health workers.

This was the high point of a meeting between representatives of the federal government and Health Professional Associations (HPA) held in Abuja.

Announcing this in a statement Tuesday, Minister of Labour and Employment Dr Chris Ngige said the hazard allowance for the months of April and May would be paid before Friday (June 12).

The minister said the urgent approval of the allowance by President Muhammed Buhari (retd), was in appreciation of the health workers’ efforts and also for daily risking their lives.

“We reviewed all, and also reviewed all the emoluments that we are to give these gallant workers who are at the frontline taking the risk for all of us and the federal government’s side has given them the financial implication of what they have done.

 “We have fixed a timeline for ourselves that before the end of this week, the health workers captured in that particular COVID-19 net and frontline workers should get all their hazard and inducement allowances for the month of April and May before the close of the week,” he said.

The minister further said the decision was reached along with the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris, and Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire.

He also said the federal government had approved insurance coverage for the health workers, stressing that this was in tune with the memorandum of understanding signed between the government and all stakeholders in the health sector April 21, 2020.

Also speaking, Minister of State Health Senator Olorunimbe Mamora assured that the ministry would provide PPEs to various hospitals.

At the meeting were Minister of State, Labour and Employment Festus Keyamo; Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Idris; Ag. Chairman, National Salary and Wages Commission, Eyo Nta; Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment William Alo; and Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health A.M Abdullahi.

The meeting also had in attendance National President Joint Health Employees Sector Union Biobelemoye Josiah; President National Union of Allied Health Professional O.C Ogbonna and Secretary General Nigerian Medical Association Dr Ekpe Philips.

 NYSC meets NCDC

In a related development, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is strategising for safe and efficient conduct of its operations ahead of further lifting of restrictions on socio-economic activities in the country amid the pandemic. 

NYSC Director-General Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim announced this in a statement Tuesday in Abuja.

The statement signed by the  Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, quoted the NYSC boss as saying this during a courtesy visit to his counterpart at the  Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, in Abuja.

He informed the NCDC Chief Executive that NYSC suspended the 2020 Batch ‘A’ Stream One Orientation Course just one week into the exercise as a proactive measure to avert the spread of COVID-19 to any of the orientation camps. 

Ibrahim said other operations of the scheme were scaled down in line with the federal government’s restrictions order, adding that the Passing-out of the 2019 Batch ‘B’ Stream One Corps Members was low-keyed with full adherence to the COVID-19 prevention protocols. 

He said conscious of the possibility of further or complete lifting of lockdown, the strategies mapped out by the NYSC management had taken care of various scenarios, and would be presented to the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 through the NCDC for guidance. 

Ibrahim said the suspended 2020 Batch ‘A’ Stream One Orientation Course would be completed, when the scheme received the green light from the PTF.

He also briefed his host on the various COVID-19 interventions by the NYSC, especially through corps members’ activities all over the country.

 Ibrahim solicited the PTF’s support in the funding of mass production of the automated disinfection chambers for use in all the NYSC Orientation Camps.

In his response, the NCDC Director-General, Dr. Ihekweazu, commended NYSC for its support in the fight against the coronavirus through corps members’ activities.

He particularly expressed delight at the fabrication of hand washing machines and production of disinfectants amongst other interventions, and promised that the NYSC proposals would be studied and recommendations made to the appropriate authorities.

Related