KOGI TURNS DOWN SUPPORT FROM NCDC
Kogi State government has refused to accept support from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC to trace COVID-19 patients in the State, NCDC laments.
This was disclosed by the NCDC Director-General, Chikwe Ihekweazu during the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 daily briefing in Abuja, on Friday, May 8.
Ihekweazu said he sensed some kind of misunderstanding between the Agency's officials and Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello.
The governor asked officials of NCDC to leave the State after they refused his directive of going into isolation and being tested for COVID-19.
The reason why the officials fail to obey the directive of the governor is not known.
According to the State's Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo said maybe the Agency has hidden agenda by refusing to be tested for COVID-19.
Ihekweazu, in a relenting tone, said Kogi state is repelling support.
"You can only offer help where the help is wanted. Yesterday we offered that help, but it wasn't in a place where the help could be accepted.
"We have supported Kogi state in every possible way. It is one of the first states that has an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) supported by the NCDC.
"I think in the long term, the purpose of our existence is to support the State. They have the primary responsibility of the health security in their State."
However, Kogi is one of the two states apart from Cross River, in Nigeria without any case of Coronavirus yet, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
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