We lack capacity to manage large positive cases of COVID-19, says Gov Sule

The Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, has explained why the state would be badly affected by the dreadful infectious coronavirus should a positive case of the disease be found in the state.

The governor said, even with the steps taken by the state government to control and contain the spread of COVID-19, there is no guarantee that the state would be able to handle large positive cases of the virus.

Governor Sule feared that, Coronavirus will have a devastating effect on both the economy and health status of the state, especially that Nasarawa State is one of the least in terms of federal allocation.

He, however, acknowledged that the state lacks the capacity to be able to manage large positive cases of COVID-19, calling on all to corporate with the state government to mitigate the spread.

Governor Sule disclosed this while receiving report on the oversight functions of the state ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) carried out by the Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission, at the Government House in Lafia.

He appealed to the people of the state to bear with the decisions being taken by his administration in a bid to protect the citizens against the pandemic.

He assured that government will do everything possible to ensure that the effects of such decisions are not so devastating to the people of the state.

“Truly speaking, every time that we meet, and every day I wake up, every day I go to sleep, I am worried about the impact of Covid-19 on the health and economy of our state.

“The state will be badly affected, especially in the area of economy and also in the area of health, once we discover that we have positive cases in Nasarawa State,” the governor said.

Sule noted that recent measures taken must have affected both Christians and Muslims,  especially that the country was just coming out of the Easter period and now approaching the holy month of Ramadan.

“I know decisions we are taking are painful to the people, especially at a time we just went through the Easter period and we are also approaching the Ramadan.

“Both faiths have been affected and hindered from carrying out their religious functions.

“But we will continue to plead with people of Nasarawa State to bear with the government when it comes to the action we are taking,” he added.

Earlier, while presenting the report, chairman of the Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission, Musa Dangana, commended the state government for all the measures put in place in order to control and contain the spread of covid-19 in the state.

Dangana said, as part of the statutory function of the commission, members carried out oversight visits to MDAs, following which they made certain recommendation as part of the report and which, when followed, will lead to optimal efficiency in the state civil service.

Solomon Attah, Lafia