The Jigawa State government has extended its earlier order for workers to work from home by another two weeks.
Gov. Muhammad Badaru announced this while updating newsmen on the level of containment of coronavirus on Wednesday in Dutse.
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) recalls that the state government had, on March 24, directed civil servants to work from home for two weeks, as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus in the state.
Badaru, however, said that the policy would soon be lifted, as the government would continue to observe, notice and sustain improvement in the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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He explained that the government was informed by medical experts that it needed to spend two consecutive incubation periods performing active case-search and testing.
“As we continue to notice and sustain improvements, we will open up government offices and lift the policy on working from home soon.
“However, I was informed by medical experts that we need to spend two consecutive incubation periods performing active-case search and testing.
“Where no cases are confirmed, we pop our chests in pride and say we are out of the woods; but for now, we are not yet there.
“Nonetheless, we may not have to reach this milestone before lifting this policy.
“Consequently, we are extending this policy for another two weeks. By June 15, it will be subjected to another review,” he said.
The governor further announced that the state’s molecular laboratory, which was currently on a test run, had given the government confidence to tackle the disease headlong.
According to him, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is expected to accredit the laboratory soon.
“The accreditation of our molecular laboratory will come on stream soon, as NCDC has assured us that it will embark on an accreditation visit in the coming days,” he said.
Badaru further stated that all tests being conducted in the laboratory were retested in the accredited laboratory in Bayero University, Kano (BUK), adding that the results showed over 90 per cent concordance.
The governor, who described the development as “excellent scientific procedure”, said it gave the government a course for celebration.
Badaru also announced a donation of N3 million by Unity Bank to the state as its contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“So let me use this opportunity to thank individuals and corporate organisations that are supporting the state with donations, both in cash and in-kind,” Badaru said.