By Onome Oghenetega
The Delta State Government has directed members of the State Executive Council and appointees of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to immediately embark on compulsory COVID-19 test as part of measures to contain the spread of virus in the state.
NIGER DELTA TODAY Online learnt that the directive which was contained in an internal memo also affected civil servants working within the Government House and office of the State Deputy Governor, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro.
It was learnt that several aides including close security details to the governor had recently tested positive to the ravaging coronavirus.
Following the internal memo, which our correspondent reliably learnt, was at the instance of the governor who alongside his wife and daughter tested positive, is to ensure that the Government House is free from the virus.
Multiple sources in the government confirmed the development and also said the various units including media aides have been directed to go for the test immediately.
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It was further gathered that many of the commissioners and political appointees are, however, not comfortable with the development.
Recall that the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Chiedu Ebie and the commissioner for information, Mr Charles Anaigwu, had also tested positive to the virus and now advanced stage of recovery.
NIGER DELTA TODAY Online’s Managing Editor, Mr Theophilus Onojeghen, is one of the many Deltans that have been knocked down by the pandemic.
Some of the commissioners confirmed the governor’s directive for a compulsory test on condition of anonymity to our correspondent late Monday night.
But the sources added that many of the commissioners had already undertaken the test even before the internal memo was issued by the State Government.
For the media aides and members of the Governor’s Press Corps, they were in a test message directed to proceed on the at their various location especially at the Asaba Specialist Hospital.
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“Please be informed that all Media Aides to the Gov have been directed to carry out COVID-19 test unfailingly. You may wish to contact Dr Peace the CMD of Asaba Specialist Hospital for assistance. 0706 739 2070”, the test message to media appointees and journalists covering the activities of the governor read.
Delta State recorded 58 new cases on Monday night placing it as the fifth most infected state on the COVID-19 infection log with 1285 confirmed cases.
Of the number, 407 patients have been successfully managed and discharged while 25 deaths have been confirmed from the pandemic in the state.
The state now currently has 853 active patients in various isolation/treatmemt centres across the state.
