The People Democratic Party (PDP) Imo State Chapter has called on the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma to be more proactive measures towards steaming the increasing tide of Corona virus infection in the State.
In a release issued by the Acting State Publicity Secretary, Ogubundu Nwadike on Friday and availed Saturday Nigerian Horn, PDP called on the governor to stop politicizing COVID-19 Pandemic in the State.
Our party decided that would be the only right thing to do to arrest the worrisome increase in the number of infections in the State in the past two weeks or thereabouts.
“This party agreed that it was too disturbing that daily fresh reports of new Covid-19 infections were recorded and reported in Imo State on the daily national index case list published by the National Centre For Disease Control (NCDC). Our party felt that it was quite sad that from the jubilation of no reported case of infection about a month ago, the State has been suddenly turned into sadness and sorrow with a record near 300 positive infection reports in less than four weeks.
“This party is aware that the news of the toll of the infection among members of the Imo State House of Assembly (IMHA) is in the public domain. What still remains inexplicable, however, is why the identities of the infected lawmakers are still kept secret and confidential, whereas in other States of the federation, infected governors, and other officials of government at all levels are made public. Even those that sadly pass on because of the virus and its complications are made public elsewhere.
“After listening to the Covid-19 pandemic update broadcast by Senator Hope Uzodimma to the people of Imo State on Wednesday, June 24, 2020 and not hearing anything about the positive patients, particularly those from IMHA, and what the regime is doing about contact tracing, but focusing on issuing of threats to defaulters of the order on wearing of masks, shutting of religious places of worship and so on, Imo PDP noted that the entire war against Covid-19 pandemic in the State was being politicized for reasons that are certainly detrimental to the overall well-being of Imo people.
“This party concluded that only such dishonest, poor, and unprofessional approaches by this regime to controlling the spread of the disease would account for the sudden onset and increase in the number of coronavirus patients in the State within a short time. That is most unfortunate. Though, the number of deaths from the pandemic has remained low in the State, our party feels the psychological trauma and its attendant fear of a possible unpleasant end compares favourably with the actual death of the positive patients. Prevention is better than cure.
“Our party feels that when identities of positive patients are not disclosed, contact tracing is rendered impossible, thereby worsening the propensity for the spread of the pandemic to unsuspecting innocent members of the society. Consequently, we concluded that with all its obvious resolve to keeping Covid-19 pandemic things secret and confidential, the current regime, its aides and agents have so far failed woefully in its management and control of the Covid-19 pandemic in the State. And Imo people are the worst for it because of the incompetence of the regime.
“Therefore, now that it has been accepted that Covid-19 pandemic is right in the State and waxing higher in number and severity, Imo PDP charges the current regime to rejig its plans, policies, programmes and projects for containing the pandemic with success at heart. Let the system of absolute secrecy be jettisoned. Let information flow. Let Imo people know the infected persons, so as to avoid making avoidable contacts with them and contracting the virus. Let contact tracing be honestly implemented to identify more victims. And let the enforcement of precautionary and preventive measures be sincerely and professionally done.
“This party, while sympathizing with Imo people, who under this circumstance are faring like people stranded in a rudderless ship, urges Ndimo to persevere against ever getting infected, by complying with every measures that will guarantee their safety from contracting the virus. By the grace of God, we shall overcome Covid-19 pandemic.
“Our party decided that to achieve much of what are required to stem the rise in coronavirus infection in the State, this regime must deliberately provide adequate funding for the relevant committees, ministries, departments and agencies to decisively fight the war against coronavirus in Imo State. The present unsavoury reports of near zero funding for the management and control of the pandemic in the State is unacceptable. Life has no duplicate. The ongoing politicization of Covid-19 pandemic in the State must stop.”
NIGERIAN HORN
