COVID-19: APGA charges governors on provision of testing centres in states

The National Leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has tasked the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on the speedy provision of laboratory facilities to boost states’ testing capacities to tackle the rising wave of COVID-19 in the country.

APGA, which commended Governor Kayode Fayemi for mooting the establishment of such facility in Ekiti, said this step remains one of the most potent remedies against the deadly disease.

The political party said Fayemi as the Chairman of NGF must sensitise his colleagues on the need to be apolitical in their battles against the killer virus in terms of palliative distribution and enforcement of lockdown directives.

A statement in Ado Ekiti by its National Auditor, Pastor Kehinde Jegede, in Ado Ekiti, on Wednesday, said Fayemi had demonstrated its altruistic mission to defeat the scourge by appointing members of the opposition and non -partisan individuals into the fund mobilisation committee.

“The fact that Chief Afe Babalola, who was never a politician and appointment of former governors Ayodele Fayose and Segun Oni, who belong to the PDP into the fund mobilisation committee showed the readiness of Governor Fayemi to make all the residents safe.

ALSO READ: Airlift of 200 Nigerians stranded in Canada on Thursday postponed, new date uncertain

“As NGF chairman, Governor Fayemi must rally his colleagues on the need for each state to establish a testing laboratory. With the daily figures by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, we have to increase our testing capacities, because centralised facility can’t help under this circumstance.”

Jegede, the pioneer Chairman of Inter-party Advisory Council(IPAC) in Ekiti, saluted the state government on the distribution of palliatives to over 70,000 residents in a manner bereft of political consideration since lockdown began.

“We are urging the state to distribute more foods to cover more population under this current hardship.

“The APGA also appreciates Governor Fayemi’s stringent border closure policy and we are expecting the testing facility to start operation in Ekiti soon to spur other governors into action.”

The APGA chieftain added that Fayemi’s robust working relationship with the Governor of Anambra State and leader of the party, Dr Willie Obiano, has strengthened the cord of unity between Igbo and Yoruba residents in Ekiti.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE