COVID-19: FCT Minister Charge Traditional Rulers, Area Council Boss, Others On Sensitization.…Minister Of State Warns Against Victimisation Of Patients.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has charged royal fathers and Area Council Chairmen in the FCT to take on the responsibility of educating and sensitizing residents at the grassroots level on the need to adhere to established protocols in the fight against COVID-19 in the FCT.

The Minister who spoke at the FCT COVID19  stakeholders meeting said the onus of spreading the information of the virus at that level fell heavily on the shoulders of the Area Council Administration, traditional and religious institutions at that level.

Bello assured residents that his administration is committed to the fight against the virus, adding that defeating it required a collective responsibility by all and urged all the stakeholders to also play their part, by supporting the efforts of the Administration.

Malam Bello who chaired the meeting, expressed the appreciation of the FCTA to the frontline health workers and called for a standing ovation for them for their efforts in the fight against the virus in the FCT.

In her remarks the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu warned against the stigmatization of  COVID 19 patients who, she stressed did not deliberately seek to be infected and like the FCT Minister, she also called for the collective efforts of all stakeholders in the fight against the virus.

Tijjani Aliyu also apleased to residents to disregard misinformation that the government was involved in the spread of the virus and said they should instead focus on curbing its spread through the obedience to extant guidelines of wearing face masks, maintain personal hygiene and observing social distancing. 

She also reminded all the stakeholders on community transmission which was on-going and said it would take collective efforts by all to stop its spread.

Also speaking at the event  the Director General of the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu commended the FCT Administration for the construction of the road leading to the National Reference  Laboratory at Gaduwa, Abuja which he said has increased the efficiency of the facility.

Dr Ihekweazu also commended leadership of the FCT Administration for being proactive in its approach to battling the pandemic and also charged the traditional rulers on sensitizing the people at the grassroot level.