Africa Press-Nigeria:
The Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, chapter has directed all workers of the six Area Councils to stay at home indefinitely as part of measures to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease.
The Chairman of the ALGON FCT, Hon. Mustapha Danze, who spoke at the joint press conference by the Chairmen of the six Area Councils held at the AMAC secretariat said the decision to shutdown activities at all the Councils became imperative following the incursion of the COVID-19 into the nation’s capital.
Hon. Danze, who is also the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, however said there is going to be essential services.
He said “Al the town hall clinic will remained open and we are urging all area councils to remain very vigilant to the functioning of their primary health care so that as soon as there is any suspect of this epidemic it can reported for further action immediately.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, Hon. Abdullahi Adamu Candido, has launched an enlightenment campaign with the deployment of health officers on sensitization of the rural communities within the Council I in order to curb speared of the disease.
The sensitization team from the council lead by the Director of Health at the Council, Dr. (Mrs.) Modupe Adeyinka, paid a visit to the palace of Sa’Peyi Garki, where all the District Chiefs in the chiefdom were briefed and sensitized on the danger inherent of the disease and ways to prevent the scourge.
Hon. Danze speaking at the joint briefing attended by the Chairmen of the Six Area Counts noted that, “from the outlook of our meeting this afternoon, we have conclusively agreed to close the whole area council secretariat to contain the fast threatening of this epidemic in the FCT until further notice.
“However, skeletal services will soon be rendered in this secretariat particularly our health department where they will deploy to our communities to sensitize the public and indeed even the hand wash as addressed by health personnel’s to the rural communities in the FCT to curtail the spread of this virus.
“Furthermore, these skeletal services will be subject to final approval of the FCT administration where collectively, everybody will go back to work but for now all secretariats remain closed and further directives will be issued in the nearest future.
“ I want to use this opportunity to thank the residence of the Federal Capital Territory, particularly the Area Council staff to comply strictly with these directives, since it is about health.
“Anything that will maintain our health in our rural communities must be adhered to strictly and our health personnel should also be mobilised and be at alert so that when their services are really needed. We will call them.”
On the essential services, Hon. Danze explained further that, “I made mention of essential services, these essential services include senior officers that at every point in time their services will be needed particularly our health departments.
“But there are Departments that are very important and there are senior officers that their services are equally very important, so their presence in the secretariat is highly needed.
“So you can be called even if you are at home, you can be called at any point in time when the need for your services is needed. You will be called and you have the resource immediately.”
