Govs set for urgent Covid steps

Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

Alarmed by the recent spike in COVID-19 confirmed cases, governors of the 36 states are to meet tomorrow to take definite steps on how to contain the spread of the virus.

The Daily Times gathered that the meeting, under the banner of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), is coming on the heels of heightening and palpable fear over another likely lockdown. It will be presided over by Ekiti State Governor and chairman of the forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

At the weekend, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had reported a total of 108,943 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 85,367 discharged and 1,420 deaths.

Further checks by the Daily Times revealed that 23,576 patients are undergoing treatment with an average daily record of more than 1,000 confirmed cases. Lagos accounts for more than 50 per cent of the confirmed cases.

The governors are concerned over the heightening rate of infection in the second wave.

They are, however, conscious of how the public would perceive another lockdown, if imposed, in spite of the recession and the hardship in the country.

READ ALSO: NAFDAC caution against use of COVID-19 vaccines before approval

A source, speaking on the agenda of the meeting, said: “The interstate lockdown helped to contain the spread during the first wave, but the governors are also not unaware of the implications it had on the economy of the nation.

“But it is their duty to protect lives as chief security officers in their respective states, so they are going to meet to review the strategy and other options.

“The governors are also concerned about the country’s slow preparedness towards vaccinating citizens against the virus. These are some of the issues that would be on the front burner.”

Minister of State for Health, Olorunimbe Mamora, while speaking at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) national briefing in Abuja, recently said the country had yet to conclude on the brand of COVID-19 vaccines to procure for treatment of the pandemic

Stating that Nigeria was still studying the situation to determine the vaccine that was safest for the country, Mamora noted that countries were administering some under emergency situation without them passing through complete routine standard evaluation for safety on humans.

“I’m saying that when these vaccines are available, they would still have to go through our own due process of regulation and that is by NAFDAC.

“In deciding which of this vaccine that would suite our purpose, we would consider cost, logistics of cold chain preservation since some of them will be stored at -17degrees.

“We would also be looking at when we have the vaccine, what segments of the population will be prioritised. We would look at availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability and administration,” the minister had said.

A statement from the NGF Secretariat on Monday conveyed the fears, saying the governors would on Wednesday finally come up with a definitive pronouncement over “Nigeria’s tardy commencement of inoculation.”

According to the statement signed by the NGF’s Head of Media, Abdilrazaque BelloBarkindo, the governors would at the 23rd teleconference receive a briefing from their Delta counterpart, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa-led committee on COVID-19 on the vaccines and the way forward.

The statement added: “Governor Okowa is also expected to give a panoramic view of the second wave of the pandemic.

“The Chairman of the Forum, and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi will brief the Forum on his meeting with the President as well as update the Forum on all pending matters that have remained inconclusive, flowing from the previous year’s meetings.

“According to the invitation to governors issued by the Director General of the NGF Mr Asishana B Okauru, these matters include ALGON and FAAC deductions, external debts reconciliation (2002-2018), Stamp Duty collections in respect of the governors’ letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and another response to the Ministry of Water Resources regarding the lingering Water Resources Bill among others.

“All disbursements of funds to states on the three tranches of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) will also be tabled.

“Governors will also be updated on the States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability program for results (SFTAS) for the preceding year, 2020.”