Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
About N500 million has been released to fight the global corona-virus (COVID-19) epidemic in Gombe state, according to the state government.
The state governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, said the fund has been released so far for the establishment of isolation centres as well as other preventive measures both at the state and local government area (LGA) level.
The governor who disclosed this at a press conference on Friday in Gombe, equally announced measures taken to prevent and manage the virus when it appears in the state. He said the measures include the ban on public and social gatherings as well as inter-state and intra-state travels.
Giving a breakdown of the funds expended so far, he said: “Earlier, we committed N28 million (to the fight against the virus) and on Monday when the committee was constituted, we approved N296 million for it to equip an isolation centre, and provide ventilators and other basic needs of such facility.
“And equally, we allocated about N200 million through the local government councils, so that whatever is needed will be prepared. So in all, about N500 million so far have been expended on this.”
The governor equally disclosed that plans are in top gear for the state government to support the people to ease the hardship that would be associated with the restriction of movement as well as closure of business place.
However, while warning that security personnel would be deployed to enforce the directive of the government, the governor assured that the restriction would not affect food vendors and others engaged in sales of essential commodities in the state.