Covid 19: Benue govt. announces more preventive measures, postpone council polls for two weeks

• By Terver Akase

The Benue State Executive Council held an expanded meeting which also had in attendance, members of the State Action Committee on Coronavirus.

The meeting was presided over by Chairman of the Council, Governor Samuel Ortom. After hours of deliberations, Council issued a communique which was presented to the media by Secretary to the State Government, Professor Anthony Ijohor, SAN with the following resolutions:

It directed that civil servants from levels 1-12 should commence stay-at-home for two weeks, at the first instance.

Council also resolved that in the best interest of the state, the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission, BSIEC, should shift the scheduled local government election by two weeks.

The State Executive Council equally advised Benue people to limit gathering in Churches, Mosques, markets and other public places.

Council approved additional N50 million naira to the state committee on Coronavirus to enable it intensify the fight against the spread of the deadly disease in the state.

It also announced the establishment of a treatment centre each in Zones A and C parts of the state, in addition to the two centres already set up in Makurdi for treatment and isolation of suspected cases.

Council resolved that the State Deputy Governor, Engineer Benson Abounu should head the State Action Committee on COVID-19 as Chairman, while the former Committee Chairman and Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Sunday Ongbabo should be the Secretary.

The Committee was mandated to among other things, make contact with the response team at the national level and the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, for cross fertilization of ideas and expertise.

Other measures taken by the meeting included tracking of new entrants into Benue State, especially from volatile areas, sensitization of the public on safety and preventive measures as well as self isolation by persons suspected to have contracted the virus.

Council also directed that the State Action Committee should be established at the local government levels for wider coverage while telephone hot-lines should be provided by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism to enable members of the public report suspected cases or new entrants into the state.

Governor Ortom had earlier charged the State Action Committee on COVID-19 to ensure proper awareness on the disease and to use only trained medical personnel to handle suspected cases.

The Governor gave assurance that his administration would ensure that internally displaced persons living in camps were not left out in the efforts to prevent the virus from getting to the state.

• Contributory notes from Geoffrey Jimin.