The governor of Ebonyi State Chief David Umahi on Thursday swore in a former federal lawmaker, Mr Lazarus Ogbe who represented Ikwo/Ezza South federal constituency, in the National Assembly.
Recall that Ogbe contested for a second tenure for the House of Representative in 2019 and won but was later sacked by the Election Tribunal sitting in Enugu state.
Ogbe was sworn in as the Commissioner for Intergovernmental Affairs.
The governor, in addressing the stakeholders of the state during a live broadcast that took place at the old government house Abakaliki, lamented that the state has recorded over 152 COVID-19 cases.
Umahi, however, said his administration has started the reconstruction of the thirteen general hospitals in the state, to serve as COVID-19 treatment centres.
He said the reconstruction started with Elu-Nwovu general hospital in Abakaliki local government area of the state.
Umahi, also directed the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike to stop the payment of salaries of health workers employed at the general hospitals but fail to go to work.
The governor noted that the essence of the reconstruction of the general hospitals is to change them to COVID-19 treatment centres.
In a related development, Umahi said the state will soon begin the arrest of people who fail to wear masks to avert the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
“The government will set up an exco- committee to start arrest of masses who fail to wear masks across the 13 local government areas of the state,” he said.
He noted that the general hospitals after reconstruction will function like the teaching hospitals.
However, the governor also directed the former commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Mr Abia Onyike to immediately proceed to self-isolation, especially as he returned from other States with high cases of COVID-19.
