COVID-19: “Prioritize the health of Niger Deltans”, Group urges Akpabio

By Afnews Editor On Mar 23, 2020

The Citizens Quest For Truth Initiative, an advocacy and pro-public accountability group has called on the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to stem the tide of the Coronavirus outbreak by prioritizing the health and safety of the Niger Delta people.

With the insidious invasion of the Covid-19 into Nigeria, the Citizens Quest, conscious of the precarious environmental situation of the region urges the ministry to do what should be done to ensure that there is no escalation of Covid-19 in the region.

National President Citizen Quest - Chief Obiaruko Christie Ndukwe — National President Citizen Quest – Chief Obiaruko Christie Ndukwe

Citizens Quest believes that the ministry can run jingles in the electronic media and adverts in the print media, for reorientation of people in the rural areas on how to stay safe, as well as the best preventive measures to adopt.

We want to appeal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Management to release the Lassa Fever Kits procured under the Joi Nunieh IMC to hospitals and health centers, as well as commence immediate training of health workers on the usage and at the same time help hospitals in the region to set up Test Centres and Quarantines for the management of the pandemic.

We urge the immediate completion and equipping of the Orthopedic and Cardiovascular Hospitals, built by NDDC in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which can be converted to Emergency quarantine centers in the event of such outbreak.

We also call for the speedy completion of the Forensic Audit on NNDC to enable the inauguration of the NDDC Board which will swing into action and rise to the occasion.

We also call on the North East Development Commission as well as other sister bodies to do the needful in their respective parts of the country, for the general well being of Nigeria.