COVID-19: PUBLIC AFFAIRS ANALYST ADVOCATES SOUTH-EAST JOINT TASK FORCE

A Public Affairs Analyst, Chief Chidozie Ezeugwa has called on governors of the five South-East States to constitute a Zonal Joint Task Force, as part of measures to stop importation of covid-19 cases into the region.

Chief Ezeugwa made the call in an interview with Radio Nigeria while reacting to the problems of porosity of the boundaries, which had made it possible for people from other parts of the country to find their ways into any of the states in the zone.

He decried the porosity of the boundaries despite being manned by security agents, argued that constituting such Joint Task Force with people with proven integrity as members, will go a long way in preventing importation of new cases, while efforts are being made to treat those who are already infected.

“Feelers from across the country suggest that the conventional security operatives cannot be trusted to effectively enforce the ban on inter-state travels. They seem to have been compromised and that is the necessity of a Joint Task Force which will include: operatives of the vigilante groups, political appointees and other stakeholders with proven integrity. They will be assembled from all the five states to ensure there is a water-tight security at the entry points to south east states. It is expected that they will be more concerned to do their job well. This will help to frustrate any attempt to share this virus around the country. I wonder how patriotic it is to move people in the midst of livestock to other parts of the country, during an official ban on inter-state travels”. The responsibility is on the governors to do all within their powers to stop them and ensure that we manage the current situation well.

Chief Ezeugwa expressed dismay with what he called attempts in some quarters to play politics with covid-19 and enjoined the governors of the zone to work together to safeguard their boundaries against subsequent threats. He also appealed to the people to co-operate with the government by observing all the preventive measures and hygiene protocols.

“Probably because of ignorance, some people choose to play with covid-19. But it is still the duty of the state to sensitize the people to appreciate the severity of the problem. The attitude of those who are in a hurry to go and catch up with business appointments is a bad omen. Nigerians must be made to know that life is above all. The number of persons who have died in Nigeria and outside the country should help us to know that we need to very cautious and prioritize life above other things”.

According to the Public Affairs Analyst, coronavirus disease has revealed everything wrong with the nation’s health system, which must be promptly addressed.  He admonished the Governors of the zone to set an agenda to give the citizens a health system better than what obtains at the moment.

Alfred Ajayi

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