#COVID19: This Is No Time For Politics — Edo PDP Tells Obaseki

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, on Tuesday said it was not satisfied with what it described as the “ineffective, non-strategic plans and actions” of Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government, regarding his handling the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging the world.

State Press Secretary of the PDP, Chris Osa Nehikhare in a statement made available to BreakingTimes, quoted the state chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, as stating this in a press conference at the State Secretariat in Benin City.

The press conference was held in accordance with the social distancing policy of not more than twenty (20) persons.

While lamenting the rising rate of positive tests in Edo and the fatalities available, Dr. Aziegbemi revealed that Edo PDP has keenly scrutinized the response of the state government towards the Covid-19 pandemic and that because of the seriousness of the threat to lives of Edo People, the party will not go into blame-game.

The statement said:

“He however, as a key stakeholder in the existence, survival and future of our dear state, and after monitoring of the state government’s response to the coved-19 pandemic, the only word he could find appropriate to describe EDSG response, was Knee-Jerk! This he concluded was scary, judging from the proximity of Edo State to communities severely affected such as Lagos, Abuja and even Italy, Spain and UK!“

He commented on the weak testing capacity of the state that needs improvement and provision of adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), for Heath workers and simple things such as face masks and hand gloves for citizens, to guide against infection.

“Hazard allowance must be paid and promptly too for our health and medical professionals,” the state chairman was quoted as saying.

To mitigate the failings of the state government, he suggested and demanded the immediate implementation of :

“Undertake massive testing of citizens for Covid-19; Strengthen the process of Isolation of persons who have tested positive for the virus; Improve drastically on Contact tracing; Develop a comprehensive treatment process and protocol; The stay home policy must be strengthened and backed with Palliatives for the most vulnerable.“

Dr. Aziegbemi appealed to all sons and daughters of the state both home and abroad to come together to fight the pandemic, saying government alone cannot win the battle.