Why Governor Sule Must Block Leakages Of COVID-19 In Nasarawa State

Rabiu Omaku

Your Excellency sir, as an analyst and public commentator I will like to hit the nail on the head following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, if really we want to achieve a result, the State Government must be sincere by fighting the global scourge net, hook line, and sinker.

 

The Task Force on COVID-19 in Nasarawa State headed by his Excellency, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe must march words with action and this would be achieved by ensuring that all routes linking Nasarawa State are blocked.

 

The State Government should go beyond media hype because from the scheme of things the situation would be deadly like Kano’s situation.

 

The State Government must ensure that joint security agents are deployed to border towns of the Shendam-Plateau border, Nasarawa-Kaduna border through Gwantu and Keffi, Also Loko-Benue border, Taraba-Tunga waterway.

 

Almost all the cases were imported to the State due to porous border and the inaction of the police, whom it was alleged were bribed to allow strangers into the State at night, this ungodly act has contributed to the increasing cases of COVID-19 in the “Home of solid mineral”.

 

The victim of the index case, Hauwa Yakubu traveled to Kano State, The deceased lawmaker, Suleiman Adamu other victims of confirmed cases are either returnees from Lagos or Port-Harcourt.

 

It is now high time the Government of Nasarawa State takes a proactive measure to avert the widespread of the pandemic.

 

The Government of Nasarawa State must be specific with her policy statement in dealing with a serious ailment like COVID-19 pandemic.

 

It could be recalled that nothing has changed from the Governor’s statement of ensuring that every citizenry of the State use a face mask while appearing in public places as he disclosed that the State Government has received a consignment of 50,000 face mask excluding 50,000 contracted to the National Youth Service Corps.

 

An additional 30,000 face mask was donated by Kenyan Mining Centre, There is an increase in inter-State movement, people are not abiding by social distancing order.

 

There is sharply increased in the rate of public gathering like naming ceremony, going to the cemetery, playing a football match, observing congregational prayers in selected mosque and churches, an example was the multitude of worshippers coming out from morning mass at St.Williams Catholic church, Lafia, the worshippers are mostly Igbo’s, I witnessed this on my way to Science School, Lafia, as early as 6:30 am to 7:00, am last week Sunday when Governor Sule bids farewell to Almajiri’s leavingNasarawa State to their States of origin.

 

The State Government should take steps to extend the fumigation of the Assembly complex to market places, schools, hospitals, motor parks

And for the joint security outfits especially the police should expedite action while at checkpoints.

 

The police should at the back of their mind remember that COVID-19 is not respectant to your status in the society whether a uniform man or civilian, whether deaf or dumb.

 

There is the need for the general public to applaud the commitment of vigilante,the Nasarawa State Youth Empowerment Scheme (NAYES) The Man ‘or’ War and Peace Corp who are always under the scorching sun enforcing the laws been flouted by recalcitrants.

 

For fruitful results,all the Local Government Chairmen must wake up from their slumber to join in the fight against COVID-19, a good example of a Council Chairman fighting the pandemic was the initiative of the Chairman of Keana, Usman Adi who is working assiduously with health workers at all borders by ensuring that any stranger coming into Keana either through Guma in Benue State or Giza, Agaza are well checked and their body temperature taken before they were allowed into the Local Government headquarter.

 

The State Government should be commended for her concerted effort for the procurement of 50,000 face mask for onward distribution to the citizenry of Nasarawa State.

 

Also Governor Abdullahi Alhaji. Sule deserved acolyte for the procurement of 60,000 Personal Preventive Equipment.