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John Adams, Minna, Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin, Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto
There is uneasy calm in Niger State as residents, private schools and other public institutions have been asked to pay for the fumigation of their property
This is contrary to what obtains elsewhere across the country since the pandemic disease broke out in the country.
The development has raised serious concerns and worries among residents, particularly owners of public buildings who have raised serious opposition to the policy and have vowed to resist it.
Due to the out break of the Coronavirus and the need to contain its spread , the state government said it had concluded plans to fumigate all public institutions including schools, markets and residential buildings but at the expenses of the people.
Although the state has not recorded any case of the COVID-19, the government said the fumigation of the places was part of the proactive measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.
The exercise, it was gathered had already been contracted to a consulting firm, said to be owned by a close relation of a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) led-administration in the state.
The Nigeria State Environmental Protection Agency (NSEPA) as an agency of government was being used to coordinate the fumigating exercise and collect the levis for the consulting firm.
A circular to this effect sent to some organisations in the state requests proprietors of the over 400 private schools to pay between N10,000 and N15,000 for the fumigation of their schools.
Kaduna records new case
The Kaduna State Ministry of Health has reported another new case of COVID 19, bringing the number of those who tested positive to the pandemic to five in the state.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Baloni, who disclosed this in a statement in Kaduna State yesterday said the state government had been taking vigorous actions to contain the spread of the deadly disease.
‘’So far, the state has sent 89 samples to Abuja for testing, among which five samples were positive, 77 samples were negative, and eight samples are pending. 119 contacts have been listed and further contact tracing is ongoing.’’
According to her, the state government had been taking vigorous actions to contain the spread of COVID-19 since February, by reaching out to chief medical directors of all hospitals in the state, with daily evaluation of the pandemic and devising new ways to check the spread.’’
The commissioner said that the ministry had set up an emergency operation centre, chaired by the commissioner of health and meets everyday to take proactive measures.
Baloni, said that the ministry had reactivated and strengthened the Infectious Disease Control Centre (IDCC), by deploying trained health workers to the facility, who are currently caring for our patients.
‘’In addition, the ministry has also concluded arrangements for the take-off of an alternative isolation centre which has 69 rooms, where mild to moderate cases will be managed,’’ she added.
“According to the Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, the facility is expected to be ready to receive patients this week.
Kwara Gov launches cash transfer to poor households
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has launched the Federal Government’s conditional cash transfer to 25000 households in the state with beneficiaries getting at least 20,000 each.
“This is to assist the poor in this time of global pandemic when our people are asked t o stay at home to halt the spread of the virus.
The governor commended the Federal Govrnment for increasing the number of beneficiaries in the state from 10,000 to 25,000.
He said the gesture will complement the measures taken by his administration in order to alleviate the consequences caused by the pandemic and the restriction of movement resulting from it.
‘’I especially thank Mr. President for this gesture as well as the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development for their efforts in coordinating theses actions at this crucial time.
Bauchi tracing 305 contacts of index case, others
Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Baba Tela , has said the state government had started serious manhunt for 305 contacts of the index case of Coronavirus and others reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in the state.
Tela, who is also the Chairman of the State Task Force Committee on COVID-19, made this known in Bauchi yesterday. The governor said all the 305 contacts had been located and their samples had been taken to Abuja for evaluation.
“We have been tracing all the contacts from the first index person to the last one reported by the NCDC; we have been tracing 305 contacts.
“We have listed all these contacts and they have all been contacted and we have taken all their samples,” the deputy governor said.
Tela, however, said the state government was not satisfied with the length of time it took to get a test done, adding that a sample would have to be taken down to Abuja where people from other states were already on the queue for results of their tests.
He added that the state government was working towards having a testing centre in Bauchi State.
Responding to reports published by some online media about the state governor, Bala Mohammad testing negative to the Coronavirus, he said, “We don’t rely on what we hear or what we see on social media.
