The Health and Human Services Secretariat has expressed worry over some residents’ denial of the existence of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Director of Public Health, Dr Josephine Okechukwu, while briefing a security meeting of the FCT, which was chaired by the Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, said it was one of the greatest challenges the secretariat was facing in the fight against the disease.
She also said lack of adherence to health protocols by many residents of the FCT was another challenge.
She added that there were imported cases into the FCT from other states as well as from returnees from outside of Nigeria. She also called for more active involvement of the Area Councils and traditional institutions in the fight against the virus in the FCT.
According to a statement by the Minister Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Anthony Ogunleye, the meeting was also briefed by security authorities that farmers/herders clashes have largely been resolved and steps being taken to tackle issues of banditry which were confined to the fringes along FCT borders with other states.
The minister who thanked the heads of the various security formations in the FCT for their support in maintaining security in the territory, acknowledged their roles in fighting crime in the territory.
Bello also welcomed the new Commander of the Army headquarters Garrison, Maj. Gen A. T. Hamman, who took over from Maj. Gen J.G. K Myam, who has since been re-deployed. In the words of the Minister, “Gen. Myam was very supportive of us during his Tour of Duty and we wish him well in all his activities in his new post”.
The security committee meeting also had in attendance, the Minister of State of the FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, the Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr. Umar Gambo Jibrin as well as the Chief of Staff to the Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu.
Others were the heads of the various security formations in the FCT, area council chairmen, traditional and religious leaders as well as senior management staff of the FCT.
