COVID-19: Bauchi Constitutes Palliative Committee Ahead of Partial Lockdown Of the State
BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – Ahead of its partial lockdown, the Bauchi State Government has constituted a high powered committee under the Chairmanship of the Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu to work out modalities for the distribution of palliative measures cushioning the effect of fighting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The setting up of the committee which was announced by Governor Bala Mohammed, was part of the decisions reached at the end of a stakeholders meeting held at the Command Guest Hotel on Tuesday.
The meeting was summoned by the Governor in order to review the impending danger posed by the pandemic in the state following the lackadaisical adherence to all the preventive measures put in place by the government.
The committee which has other eminent personalities as members is to advise the government on palliative measures to be distributed in order to cushion the difficulties that citizens of the state may face as a result of the planned partial lockdown of the state.
Governor Mohammed explained that the proposed partial lockdown is to enable the government manage and control the spread of the virus.
According to the governor while giving a highlight of the outcome of the meeting, the stakeholders gave the state government the mandate to take any action that will assist in curbing the spread of the ravaging pandemic.
He called on the stakeholders to discuss on way forward in tackling the spread of the Coronovirus in the state, saying; “On our part as a government, we have taken steps to ensure we curb the spread of the virus through various initiatives.
“Government is ready to purchase palliatives. In Bauchi, we have already established a very sound administrative framework for contact tracing on COVID-19”.
He also said that the state government with the support of the North-East Development Commission is expected to get its testing center soon for the management of the virus, adding that the State Task Force will also engage stakeholders to come up with modalities of the partial lockdown of the state.
While giving highlights of the activities of the State Rapid Response Taskforce on COVID-19 and Lassa Fever, State Deputy Governor, who is also the Chairman of the Task Force, Senator Baba Tela said that a lot has been achieved by the committee since it was set up particularly in the area of sensitization of the general public on the importance of healthy living.
Tela also said that various organizations and individuals in the state have made various donations in cash and materials for the fight against the spread of the infection in state and assured that every item donated will be used judiciously.
The participants at the stakeholders meeting included all traditional rulers in the state, religious leaders and prominent opinion leaders.
