By; BUHARI B. BELLO, Jos
Worried by the recent development, the Northern States Governors Forum held its 4th teleconference meeting on Wednesday May 20, 2020 to review the region’s COVID-19 response, and deliberate on other matters relating to its progress and development.
A statement by Makut Simon Macham, Director of Press & Public Affairs said the meeting presided over by its Chairman and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong, acknowledged and appreciated the intervention of the Federal Government following their request to President Muhammadu Buhari for the deployment of more security personnel to the region to tackle banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, and other crimes which are threatening livelihood and preventing farmers from going to their farms.
On the profiling and evacuation of Almajiris, the forum noted that so far, there has been appreciable progress as many states have transferred Almajiris to other states and also received their citizens without any problem.
They resolved to continue with the exercise by strictly following laid down protocols for profiling, quarantining, testing, transportation, handing and taking over as well as reintegration.
The Governors also maintained their earlier decision to purchase COVID-19 Mobile Testing Vans which have already been ordered to boost testing of more citizens especially in the rural areas.
On enforcing closure of inter-state boundary roads, the Northern Governors again expressed disappointment that despite several measures taken, including Presidential orders, there are still violations where people move from one state to another through compromise and use of illegal routes.
They vowed to continue to take further measures to protect their people including the deployment of members of their cabinets and civil servants where necessary.
The forum resolved to continue their appeal to the Federal Government for support to deal with the CoronaVirus Pandemic, as the Northern Region now has about 54% of the national cases and 70 per cent of new infections.
