Governors of the thirty- states have expressed fears over the increasing Cases of Coronavirus, COVID- 19 across the country, just as they stressed the urgent need for additional measures by State Governors to ramp up capacity for testing, increase the availability of isolation beds to at least 300 per State, accelerate the procurement of additional personal protective equipment (PPE).
Rising from 8th COVID-19 Teleconference meeting under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, the governors said that with the increasing cases in the country which reached 4,787 as at 12th May 2020 based on an update from the Presidential Taskforce (PTF) on COVID-19, it has become very imperative that there must be an improvement in the area of training for health workers, as well as the continued enforcement of interstate restriction of movement.
In a Communique signed today by the NGF Chairman and Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the governors have asked both the Senate and the House of Representatives to immediately step down the controversial Control of Infectious Diseases Bill 2020 until an appropriate consultative process was carried out and that will include a public hearing.
Consequently, the Forum has set up a Committee comprising the Governors Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State; Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto, and Simon Lalong of Plateau state to lead a consultative meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly on the proposed Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, 2020.
The governors have also mandated the NGF Secretariat was to comprehensively review the Bill and its implication on States. The Forum congratulated the newly appointed Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, and wished him well and looks forward to a fruitful partnership that will support the development of the country.
By Henry Umoru,
Vanguard