Kogi State government has berated the delegates of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control sent to the state over it’s refusal to get tested for COVID-19 and self-isolate before carrying out its assignment.
The delegation had been sent by the Federal Government to assist Kogi State, being one of the two states without any case of COVID-19, in boosting its testing capacity.
The governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, however insisted that the officials complied with the regulation of the World Health Organization, by getting tested and Self-Isolating for 14 days.
The Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement, disclosed that the officials elected to return to Abuja rather than complying with the directive of the governor.
The Commissioner however questioned the decision of the NCDC officials, stating that the move was suspicious.
Fanwo said:
“It was drama today at the Kogi State Government House as officials of the National Center for Disease Control sent to ascertain the COVID-19 status flee the state. ”
“The Officials said they were not ready to be tested for COVID-19 and went back to Abuja. 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 its own officials are afraid of test? This is sad.”
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