The Cross River State commissioner for health, Dr Betta Edu on Sunday led the Covid -19 Response Taskforce to Itu bridge.
The movement was to ensure the total lockdown of the border between Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State so as to curb the spread of the dreaded novel coronavirus pandemic.
Edu who is the arrowhead in the fight against Covid -19 went in company of honourable commissioner for finance, Hon. Asuquo Ekpenyong, The DG Primary Health Care Agency, Dr. Janet David Ekpenyong, the officers of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service and other members of the task force.
She said “The governor has said that there should be a hundred per cent short down of all the interstate and international borders leading into Cross River State, no one is allowed to come into Cross River State and that is what we are trying to enforce. Though we do not have any case of Covid -19, no suspected or confirmed case and we are doing everything possible to see that we can protect our people and our state. Akwa Ibom state may not have closed their borders but for us, our borders would remain close and no one would be allowed into the state through our borders in whatever disguise”.
She commended the Nigerian Army for being exceptional at all our borders in the fight against covid-19.
She also thank the effort of the Nigerian Police, the Immigration, DSS and other Security Agencies for their support.
She concluded that this is the time to maintain social distancing because the fight is not against you or me but the fight is against a common enemy for our joint interest.
The commissioner for finance, Hon. Asuquo Ekpenyong revealed that through donations from well meaning Cross Riverians, the state got about a hundred and fifty-seven thousand dollars worth of medical equipment that is expected to come into the state from Asia soon.
He also discloses that beyond the expected medical equipment, Cross River State government is trying to look at the economic palliative in terms of providing basic needs for the residents during the stay at home period since most Cross Riverians depend on going out to hustle for daily bread.
The Director-General, Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Janet David Ekpenyong in her speech said Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade recently mandated that all borders be closed and she is glad that they got there for the directive to be enforced. She also commended His Excellency Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade for the timely intervention which is seen to be the most effective approach in the fight against Covid -19 pandemic.
When asking why the impromptu enforcement, Dr Janet David Ekpenyong stated that prior to the border closure, Cross River State government has done a lot of sensitization and information through the social media, electronic media, print media, terrestrial media, television etc. but human beings are naturally disobedient to government order and that is why the task force is in the border to enforce it.
