₦airaland Forum

The Kogi State government on Tues­day said it would not watch and allow the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 create panic in the state and scare away investors.

The government said it may be forced to take legal action against the PTF and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) if these bod­ies continue to harass and de-market the state against genuine investors. It also said reports that Governor Yahaya Bello was doing nothing about fighting COVID-19 because it believed it didn’t exist were false.

Kingsley Fanwo, the Kogi State Commissioner for Infor­mation and Communications, who disclosed this to Daily In­dependent, said the PTF – in concert with the NCDC – were desperate to create a picture of health crisis in the state.

The PTF had on Monday declared Kogi State a ‘high risk state’ for allegedly re­fusing to acknowledge the existence of COVID-19, not reporting testing, and not having isolation centres. It also warned Nigerians to be wary of visiting the state.

But speaking with Daily Independent, Fanwo said the statement by the PTF was an attack on the people of Kogi State by attempting to infect the state with fear, a situation which, he said, the govern­ment would not accept.

He said having emerged the investment destination in Nigeria in the third quarter of 2020, based on the report by the Nigerian Investment Pro­motion Commission (NIPC), the PTF was desperate to crip­ple the economy of Kogi State by raising false alarm that it had a high risk of COVID-19 cases.

“We very much believe their intent was to ensure in­vestors are scared from com­ing to the state.Despite their unreliable figures, Kogi emerged the 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 health crisis in the state.”

On efforts being made by the state government to fight the disease, Fanwo said Kogi State was the first to procure thousands of face masks which it distributed free of charge to residents of the state. He also said Kogi State had done more sensitisation on the disease more than any other state across the country.
“We were the first state to procure face masks in thou­sands and distribute to all the LGAs. We were the first state to set up a Squadron Team to combat the spread of the pandemic. 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 COVID-19 exists, we won’t be doing all we are doing to ensure it doesn’t ravage our state.

“What we said and are still saying is that COVID-19 is not worth all the marketing going on just for a few to make bil­lions.“That we do not have to suf­fer innocent Nigerians while a few smile to the banks, that we can’t afford a deeper reces­sion as a country.

“The cases reported in Kogi were fraudulent. So, how do we believe the NCDC? They have given us every reason to see them as people not working in the interest of public good. Their data is unreliable and they are incon­sistent. We are fine in Kogi and do not accept their scaremonger­ing. It was an attempt to intim­idate our state, scare investors away and cause unnecessary panic.

“It is an attack on the good people of Kogi State and we will defend our people against the merchants of fear and de­spair. We won’t submit the lives and psychology of our peo­ple to those who have turned COVID-19 to business. The governor had advised a robust synergy between sci­ence and common sense; med­icine and governance, in or­der to combat the pandemic".

"Politicians have hijacked the process for their selfish gains. We shouldn’t play pol­itics with it. We won’t sit by and watch the enemies of Nigeria infect Kogi with their fear and mar­keting".

“We will not hesitate to seek legal redress against them. Kogi is safe. Investors are coming in. We are improv­ing our infrastructure and do­ing more for the people. What we won’t do is to join hands with them to push our people into pain and poverty. Enough is enough. We should stop punishing the poor and defenceless unnecessarily".

“Governor Yahaya Bello will not change his position on this. Why must you change from the lane of truth and in­tegrity? They are the people bat­tling with their conscience. They should know that pov­erty is dangerous".

“They should desist from oppressing the people of this country. They should stop de­stroying the good intentions of Mr. President. Anyone can aspire to be vice president, but we must not use our position to mis­represent facts and de-market our nation. Kogi dey kampe and un­moved by their reckless, ir­responsible, and unscientific claims.

"Nigerians do not be­lieve the NCDC anymore. They have closed feed back avenue on their Twitter. They are afraid of the truth. The samples they col­lected from Kogi, where are they? They are deceiving this nation. We won’t join that, even in the face of threat and intimidation,” the commissioner said.
https://www.independent.ng/covid-19-kogi-government-threatens-to-sue-ptf-ncdc/

Thank God they now know

Arrrrrrrh


I'm one of them. I don't believe it it neither !
All those daily figures flying up and down like forex/bitcoin price!

Yahaya Bello no dey joke with this covid of a thing

But I urge kogites to take their health seriously.

Hahaha Bello really stood his ground about the hoax Covid in Nigeria...

I love his consistency about it...

helinues:
Hahaha Bello really stood his ground about the hoax Covid in Nigeria...

I love his consistency about it...

Don't be careless with your health.

Covid ≠ hoax

But we should believe yahya Bello

The governor is being irresponsible here.

If I tell people that I am one of those that don't believe in the existence of covid -19 in Nigeria,irritants call me illiterate.

This is so clear that ncdc is a rogue organisation coupled with PTF.

Believe on covid existence in Nigeria ,and also believe that One stranger from Sudan is ruling Nigeria in aso rock.

Awon ode.

How will the NCDC make money for themselves if they don't instill fear in the minds of gullible Nigerians with fake figures ...

We know Coronavirus is in Nigeria but we never believed their figures.

Those who haven't experienced COVID or have someone close to them who have, may disbelieve. I've seen enough.

As for me, I'd rather keep safe.

Everyone knows their marketing covid-19 for their own selfish gains,. They want to control states indirectly by using the covid-19 backdoor. Yahaya Bello understands this far much better
There is no essence oppressing the poor with case of covid19 we have already lived with in a year and found out is not what they tell us
Enough of trying to control people's psychology. Good one kogi

delpee:
Those who haven't experienced COVID or have someone close to them who have, may disbelieve. I've seen enough.

As for me, I'd rather keep safe.

I have managed many of those patients myself but trust me it doesn't worth the suffering they meted on the entire Nigeria,

The kogi Governor is actually correct this time

From the statement,he didn’t deny the existence of Covid but emphasized its not worth the media propaganda and looting of scarce resources.

He has also alluded that the president is senile and that Boss Mustapha has vice presidential ambition.

I wish innocent Nigerians all the best!

densiks:
The kogi Governor is actually correct this time

From the statement,he didn’t deny the existence of Covid but emphasized its not worth the media propaganda and looting of scarce resources.

He has also alluded that the president is senile and that Boss Mustapha has vice presidential ambition.

I wish innocent Nigerians all the best!

That is also my stand. I won't blame Nigeria for the first lockdown we had esp with what we saw in Europe but we have now lived with this virus for a year already and seen there is no need of spoiling our economy and creating more poor people and unnecessary hardship and even more death with the hype of covid19 in the media. I see it as a subtle way by the PTF to control states indirectly and determine what happens. I have worked in covid-19 isolation centre and I must say Nigeria doesn't need the fear mongering, it could be serious in the elderly but overall we can observe normal safety tips and live our normal lives using facemasks and handwashing

billions of naira to buy vaccines

densiks:
The kogi Governor is actually correct this time

From the statement,he didn’t deny the existence of Covid but emphasized its not worth the media propaganda and looting of scarce resources.

He has also alluded that the president is senile and that Boss Mustapha has vice presidential ambition.

I wish innocent Nigerians all the best!

Hmmm