NGF holds 4th teleconference meeting to review region’s response to Covid-19

From Yusuf Mairiga Shekarau, Jos

The Northern State Governors Forum has held its 4th teleconference meeting on Wednesday 20th May 2020 to review the region’s COVID-19 response, and deliberate on other matters relating to its progress and development, a statement signed by Dr. Makut Simon Macham, the director of press and public affairs to the NGF chairman and Plateau state Governor Simon Lalong, has said.
Lalong, who presided over the meeting said “The forum has acknowledged and appreciated the intervention of the Federal Government following their request to President Muhammadu Buhari for the deployment of more security personnel to the region to tackle banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, and other crimes which are threatening livelihoods and preventing farmers from going to their farms”.
On the profiling and evacuation of Almajiris, the Forum noted that so far, there has been appreciable progress as many States have transferred Almajiris to other States and also received their citizens without any problem.
They resolved to continue with the exercise by strictly following laid down protocols for profiling, quarantining, testing, transportation, handing and taking over as well as reintegration.
The Governors also maintained their earlier decision to purchase COVID-19 Mobile Testing Vans which have already been ordered to boost testing of more citizens especially in the rural areas.
On enforcing closure of inter-state boundary roads, the Northern Governors again expressed disappointment that despite several measures taken, including Presidential orders, there are still violations where people move from one State to another through compromise and use of illegal routes.
They vowed to continue to take further measures to protect their people including the deployment of members of their cabinets and civil servants where necessary.
The Forum resolved to continue their appeal to the Federal Government for support to deal with the Corona Virus Pandemic, as the Northern Region now has about 54% of the national cases and 70 percent of new infections.