The Governor of Adamawa State, Rt Hon Ahmadu Fintiri, has established a committee to handle any emergency that may arise in the state regarding the raging coronavirus epidemic.
The governor has also resolved to review the state budget and to cut spendings so that the state could cope with the economic exigencies of the epidemic.
He brought all this to light on Monday in a special broadcast he made to the state in his latest response to the outbreak of the epidemic in Nigeria and around the world.
“In furtherance of the overall objective of preventing the spread, the Adamawa State COVID-19 Containment Committee is hereby constituted with the Secretary to the State Government, Mallam Bashiru Ahmad as Chairman,” the governor said.
He named members of the Committee as Hon. Commissioner for Health, Prof Abdullahi Isa; Medical Director, Yola Specialist Hospital; Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre Yola; Commissioners for Local Government, Environment, Information and strategy, Livestock and Aquaculture Development, with the Director Public Health, Ministry of Health to serve as the Secretary.
On steps to tackle the economic challenges of Coronavirus, Governor Fintiri said that among the measures, all trainings, workshops, seminars and official trips outside the state had been suspended for the period of three months, subject to review as the situation warrants.
“Government also resolved to implement cost saving measures such as a review of the current budget by 20 percent, coupled with a reduction in Overhead Cost also by 50 percent across board,” he said.
He told the people to see it as their individual civic responsibility to observe basic protection measures, such as hand washing, use of sanitizers and social distancing and if possible, working from home.
In view of this, he added, “Government may eventually consider a work holiday for all categories of staff except those on essential services.”
He advised religious leaders to help in moderating their congregation to a maximum of 50 people until further notice, and urged that all forms of gatherings by any group of people should not be larger than 50 people.
