From John Adams, Minna
The Niger State government has decried the non compliance to COVID-19 protocol by the public in the state even as new cases of the disease is being being discovered across the country on a daily bases.
A Former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, and Coordinator Public Affairs to the state Governor, Jonathan Vatsa who spoke in Minna against the backdrop of the increase in the new cases of the disease, expressed dismay over what he called care-free attitude of the people towards the observance of the COVID 19 protocol as spelt out by health professionals might trigger rapid and wide spread of the disease.
Vatsa expressed regret that despite the law restricting public gathering of more 50 people and the compulsory use of face/nose mask in the market, worship centers and other public places, the people have gone back to their normal lives and it is now business as usual.
“It is disheartening to see people openly disregarding the COVID 19 protocol, they don’t wear face/nose mask while in public places, you see gathering of people more than 50 in public places, even in government offices people don’t adhere to the protocol and advice by health professionals.
“If you go to government offices, worship centers, schools, big shops and motor parks, there is no provision for hand washing and no hand sanitizers. This is very worrisome because the second wave of the disease is imminent”, he said.
Vatsa, a former publicity secretary of APC in the state pointed out that either due to health belief system or share negligence, people don’t believed that the disease exist at all or think that the disease has gone, stressing that “the Coronavirus disease is very much here with us”.
He said that he foresees another Lockdown of the state if the attitude of the people towards the disease does not change, adding that “the government might not be able to cope with any further spread of the disease”.
He therefore urged the TaskForce on COVID 19 in the state headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Metane to intensify the public enlightenment campaign against the spread of the disease in the state.