CORONAVIRUS SPREAD AMONG TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS POSE THREAT TO GOVERNANCE – SGF

The rapid increase in COVID-19 cases among Nigeria’s top officials is capable of adversely impacting governance and security in the country, an official has said.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said this at the bi-weekly Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing on Monday.

He said positive COVID-19 cases amongst this group of people have been on the increase in recent times.

“Of recent, we have witnessed a high rate of positive cases especially among people in authority. This has a direct impact on governance and security of our nation.

“We urge that vigilance and care should be exhibited by all Nigerians irrespective of status. This virus does not discriminate and the PTF shall keep sustaining its sensitization messaging,” he said.

Nigeria has recorded 28,711 coronavirus cases out of which over 11,665 have recovered. The country has also recorded over 600 deaths.

Some top government officials are amongst those who have tested positive for the virus that has claimed over 500,000 lives globally.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi; Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, and his wife, Edith Okowa, are amongst prominent figures who tested positive in the past few weeks.

Treatment

At the briefing, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said invitation to treatment centres are not intended as punishment for those with the COVID-19 virus.

He appealed to persons who neither feel nor show symptoms of the infection to oblige to the call to treatment centres.

“With regards to certain petitions and reports available to me, I need to appeal to citizens especially those COVID-19 positive patients who feel no symptoms at all, not to take invitation to treatment centres as persecution or punishment but to cooperate with health officials and understand that measures taken are protective measures in the interest of all,” he said.

He urged states to isolate other asymptomatic cases who may not qualify for supervised self-isolation.