Bauchi state government has frowned at the non-compliance to border closure, social distancing and other measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the state, saying that it is contemplating putting more stringent measures on ground to check defaults.
State Chairman, Task Force Rapid Response Committee on COVID-19 and Lassa fever, Sen. Baba Tela while briefing journalists at the Government House on Monday, said checks by the government indicated that Bauchi state has recorded almost zero compliance.
“On Friday, the security committee toured some of the borders with Bauchi state with a view to monitor the effectiveness of the border closure orders that was imposed by the government but unfortunately we were not completely happy with the way the borders are been manned,”, Tela decried.
He said that the state government has put other measures on ground to ensure that proper adherence and compliance is done at the borders.
“The level of compliance in Bauchi is almost zero. In Bauchi, we don’t practice the social distancing, we don’t wash our hands and majority of the people of Bauchi do not believe that this disease is there.
“They believe that it is for the rich or big men, which is not true.
“Let me be very frank with you here, government has the responsibility of protecting the citizens of the state and will not allow few people to mislead others.
“Agreed that government cannot impose lockdown without adequate palliatives, but it is better to do so without palliative than to have situation whereby we will not be able to control infections, death or any other thing,” he further explained.
The deputy governor said that the non-compliance in the state on all the protocols advanced by by health experts may force government to come up with new measures.
Sen. Tela said Governor Bala Mohammed has summoned a meeting of stakeholders in the state comprising of religious and traditional leaders, statesmen as well as political leaders to discuss on the way forward and how best to address the issue of the non-compliance.
“I am sure you must have heard that another positive case has been recorded this time around of someone who travelled to Kano and came back to Bauchi and after the usual protocols he tested positive,” he added.
The task force chairman who said that the newly infected person has been adequately quarantined at the centre and receiving treatment, noted that the state has two active cases for now.
“The index person or the person who came in from Kano that tested positive was actually in contact with one of the affected persons in Kano in the mosque and when he came back to Bauchi, he was also in one or two mosques where he prayed”, the deputy governor revealed.
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He said that the index person was in touch with his family and with quite a number of people, adding that other people have been traced and their samples taken.
Tela, who said that his committee has briefed Gov. Mohammed on its activities since its inception, maintained that they have all been working tirelessly to ensure that they have achieved the purpose for which the committee was set up.
The deputy governor advised the citizens of the state to adhere strictly to the protocols on measures against infection with the virus and its spread.
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