Bauchi Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Bauchi State Government has disclosed that it has spent an undisclosed amount of money to the fight against the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus yet, people have refused to come out to receive jabs of the vaccines.
Chairman of the State Task Force on COVID-19 and Lassa Fever, Sen Baba Tela made the lamentation at a COVID-19 stakeholders meeting reiterating the commitment of the government towards ensuring that all eligible citizens of the state are vaccinated and protected against the virus.
Senator Baba Tela who is the Deputy Governor of the state said that since the beginning of the outbreak, the state government released a lot of funds to effectively respond to the disease through various activities.
According to him, some of the activities carried out by the committee included, community awareness, provision of drugs and consumables, disinfection of households and premises as well as the enforcement of environmental sanitation among others.
Baba Tela said that, “I am highly delighted to welcome you to our stakeholders meeting on COVID-19. This event has further demonstrated the strong leadership style of our Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed of engaging relevant stakeholders regularly on specific issues of governance before any decision is drawn.”
On the recent emergence of the OMICRON Variant in the country, Baba Tela called for total adherence and compliance to public health advices from health experts, urging for continued support to the state government to tackle the spread of the virus.
According to him, “as Christmas and new year festivities approach, there is need for Imams, Pastors and Clerics to ensure restriction of mass gatherings of not more than 50 people by ensuring the use of face masks and social distancing” .
The Taskforce Chairman also said that the state Taskforce on COVID-19 has reviewed the NCDC guidelines for mass gathering for the best interest of the State warning that the Taskforce will ensure strict adherence to all the protocols and will not hesitate to punish offenders.
Baba Tela then stressed that, “I call on all those that are yet to receive their first or second doses of the vaccine to come forward and get vaccinated in any hospital nearest to them. The vaccines are available, they are SAFE and FREE.”
