COVID-19: Your data unreliable, inconsistent, Governor Bello blasts NCDC over travel warning

COVID-19: Your data unreliable, inconsistent, Governor Bello blasts NCDC over travel warning

- Kogi state government has reacted to the statement issued by the NCDC on five states with a large spread of COVID-19

- NCDC had said that it is yet to ascertain the level of COVID-19 cases in Kogi, Yobe, Jigawa, Zamfara and Kebbi

- Kingsley Fanwo, the state commissioner of information and communication, however, said the NCDC wanted to drive away investors from Kogi state

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Following the warning given to Nigerians by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to steer clear of some states over the hike in COVID-19 cases, the Kogi state government has accused the agency of deliberately peddling falsehood to scare investors from the state.

The Punch reports that the state commissioner for information and communication, Kingsley Fanwo, stated this in reaction to the warning against visiting Kogi and four other states as it had been unable to confirm the level of spread of COVID-19 in the states.

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Legit.ng gathered that the commissioner on Tuesday, February 2, said the government believed that the intention of NCDC was to drive away investors from the state.

COVID-19: Your data unreliable, inconsistent, Governor Bello blasts NCDC over travel warning
Kogi state government has berated NCDC over COVID-19 travel warning. Credit: @realGovBello
Source: Twitter

He said:

“Despite their unreliable figures, Kogi emerged as the preferred investment destination of Nigeria in the last quarter of 2020. They felt embarrassed and the best way to hit back is to create a picture of the health crisis in the state.”

Fanwo noted that Kogi was the first state to procure face masks in thousands and distributed to all the councils, as well as the first to set up a team to combat the spread of the virus.

The commissioner added:

“We set up isolation centres with state-of-the-art equipment. We have done sensitisation more than any other state. So if we don’t believe that COVID-19 exists, we won’t be doing all we are doing to ensure it doesn’t ravage our state."

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Fanwo further stressed that the cases reported in Kogi were fraudulent as they had given every reason to see them as people not working in the interest of public good, adding that the NCDC data was unreliable and inconsistent.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that with coronavirus taking a dangerous curve on the country, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 on Monday, February 1, announced the list of five states and 22 local government areas in Nigeria with a large spread of the viral infection.

It was reported that while addressing pressmen during a media briefing in Abuja, the national coordinator of the PTF, Sani Aliyu, warned Nigerians against travelling to the affected states.

Aliyu said the high-burdened states and LGAs contribute to 95% of the daily infection.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Wale Akinola avatar

Wale Akinola Wale Akinola is a passionate journalist and researcher. He is the Head of Desk, Politics and Current Arts, Legit.ng. He holds both B. A and Master’s degree in Communications and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan. He also holds a Diploma Certificate in Peace Journalism. He has over 15 years of work experience in both print and online media. You can reach him via +2348054137974 or wale.akinola@corp.legit.ng.