COVID-19: Ortom inaugurates LG Action Committee, tasks them on awareness

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Tuesday inaugurated Local Government Action Committee on Coronavirus, tasking them to create awareness among the rural communities.

At the ceremony which took place at the New Banquet Hall of the Benue Peoples House Makurdi, Governor Ortom said the COVID-19 pandemic requires all hands to be on deck to prevent its spread, stressing that the sensitization must go to the hinterlands in order to save lives.

He expressed “optimism that the council chairmen who are also chairmen of the Action Committees at that level would collaborate with traditional rulers and other relevant stakeholders to drive the campaign on prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ortom promised to lead by example in availing himself for the coronavirus test and make the result public.

While charging council chairmen to prioritise payment of salaries, “the Governor directed them to set aside N5 million naira each to fund the activities of COVID-19 in their domains and also attend to any emergencies concerning the virus.

The Governor commended the State Chairman of the Action Committee on COVID-19 and Deputy Governor of the State, Engr. Benson Abounu and other members for their proactiveness on issues despite discouraging comments from some members of the public.
He lamented the attitude of the first index case of the virus in Benue for taking to the cyberspace to spread falsehood in order to assuage public sympathy, stressing that “the magnitude of the pandemic was beyond sentiments of whatever kind.

Deputy Governor of the state, Engr. Benson Abounu, said the committee he chairs has the sole responsibility of sanitizing and educating Benue people about preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19 and what to do in any suspected case.

He stated that the council Chairmen would head the committees and second class traditional rulers would serve as deputies while Directors, General Services and Administration would be secretaries and other categories of membership cutting across security, civil societies among others.

CAPITAL POST reports that the governor had asked his deputy, Mr. Benson Abounu to go for test having participated in a meeting in Abuja with some people are now testing positive for COVID-19.