EBOLA: NOT YET TIME TO LOWER OUR GUARD, UDUAGHAN CAUTIONS
The Governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has commended the Federal Government for its efforts towards tackling the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) but, warned that Nigerians are not yet safe from the effects of the disease.
According to Governor Uduaghan, who is a Medical Doctor by training, the fact that the EVD was still ravaging some parts of West Africa called for more vigilance among Nigerians and any suspected case should be reported to health officials immediately.
While assuring that there is no case of Ebola in Delta State as suspected cases were investigated and confirmed to be negative, the Governor disclosed that with movement among West Africans, there was need for increased vigilance so that, the EVD could be curtailed in the manner Poliomyelitis was checked especially, in Delta State.
Dr Uduaghan stated this in Asaba at an enlarged security and health meeting involving leaders of different security agencies, traditional rulers, Chairmen of Local Government Councils and religious leaders in the state.
He emphasised that with determination, cooperation and vigilance, there has not been any case of Polio in Delta State for more than five years and Nigeria was heading towards been declared polio-free and advised that while President Goodluck Jonathan has done a lot to curtail the spread and effects of Ebola, there was the need for Nigerians and Deltans in particular to be more vigilant.
He noted that the burial practice of family members insisting on conveying dead bodies to their different places of origin for burials and harmful traditions involving widows of the dead have been identified as means of spreading the EVD.
The Governor also, said in accordance with the directive of the Federal Ministry of Health, schools in Delta State will resume on September 22, noting that the Ministry took into considerations many factors as it concerns the safety of school children before agreeing on the resumption date. In the area of security, Governor Uduaghan commended the security operatives for being proactive and making the state one of the safest in the country, noting that kidnapping and armed robbery which resulted from the activities of militants, have greatly reduced.
“On the issue of security, we had our Niger Delta crisis which with working with the Federal Government, was solved but, with that, we had an increase in other crimes like, armed robbery, kidnapping, pipeline vandalism,” the Governor disclosed, asserting, “there is a lot of improvement now and we are still working to exterminate kidnapping totally from our state.”
He used the occasion to assert that the state will only be safe for peaceful people who have genuine reasons to be in the state, stressing: “If you come to Delta, you must live peacefully with those you meet, it is not acceptable for you to come and be causing trouble or forcefully take over peoples’ properties.”
“Such properties that are occupied by people who are not supposed to occupy them are not acceptable, except a landlord gives you permission to take over that property. Please know that might is not right in Delta State.”
He used the occasion to thank security operatives for bringing to a halt the crisis between Iselegu and Ibabu Communities in Ndokwa East and Ndokwa West local government areas of the state respectively.
He assured that a Commission of Inquiry would be set up to provide lasting solution to the communities which have been at war for more than a decade.