Governor-okowa-unpreparedness-in-the-face-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic-may-cost-deltans-a-lot
September 7, 2020 | News
GOVERNOR OKOWA’S UNPREPAREDNESS IN THE FACE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC MAY COST DELTANS A LOT
It is often said that one of the things that reveals the strength and quality of a leader is when that leader is faced with unusual challenges, which threatens the progress and existence of such a society. That is why it is said that tough times don’t last, but tough people do. Sadly, with the apparent panic and fear-ridden atmosphere across the globe, over the widespread pandemic outbreak of the Coronavirus (Covid-19), we are beginning to see the kind of political leaders we have in Nigeria, judging by their various responses and actions in the face of this disease that has claimed many lives.
While we acknowledge and applaud what State Governors like that of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is doing to curtail and address the coronavirus pandemic in its State, we cannot say the same with that of the Delta State Government under Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. Whose only ‘evident’ action since this pandemic started spreading, was to order the closure of schools, and ban religious gatherings of over 50 persons, social events, and other public gatherings. And of course, the recent Stay-at-home Directive from April 1st to 14th, 2020, at the first instance. But the question is; is that all the Delta State Government can come up with, or intend to only carry out in PROACTIVELY addressing this pandemic?
What stops Governor Okowa from rapidly building well-equipped and well-ventilated Isolation Centers in cities like Asaba,Warri, Sapele, Ughelli, Agbor, Orerokpe, Burutu, Otu-Jeremi, Bomadi, Ugwachukwu, etc.? Do they even have any plans to have one in Asaba the State capital? Is the Delta State Governor waiting for us to start having cases of persons with the coronavirus before they start acting in this direction? Now that Delta State has not recorded any case of persons who have tested positive to the coronavirus as at March 30, 2020, would it not be the best time for Governor Okowa to put speedy efforts in motion to start having these Isolation Centers across the above stated major cities of the State?
Why wait, before they now start their usual fire-brigade approach in doing the needful? If anyone in Delta State today may be infected with the coronavirus, where would they go to in the State as the first point of call? Where can people be tested for the coronavirus? Does the State even have the required testing kits and equipment to do this? Or is the Delta State Government solely relying on the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) to handle any eventual cases of the coronavirus in the State? How prepared is the OKowa-led Delta State Government in dealing with possible case(s) of the coronavirus in the State?
Is the Delta State Governor not seeing how the Sanwo-Olu-led Lagos State Government is proactive, responsive and responsible in managing the pandemic situation in the State, by even using the Onikan Stadium and other well-ventilated public places to build huge well-equipped tents as Isolation Centers? Or is the Delta State Government under Okowa waiting for Delta State to start having the number of cases of persons infected with the coronavirus in Lagos, before they start doing what is expected of them? Are they waiting for people to start getting infested and dying before they wake up to their responsibilities?
Again, issuing an Executive Order for people in Delta State to isolate themselves by staying at home for Two Weeks in the first instance, without adequate plans in place to address the growing pandemic, and the difficulty/hardship such an order would bring on the majority of Deltans, is another indication that the Okowa-led Delta State is not prepared, or ready to face this challenge. How will the public fend for themselves in that Two weeks Isolation/Stay-at-home order? Is the Delta State Governor not aware that majority of Nigerians in the State are living in abject poverty, and they can only fend for themselves and families through their ‘daily’ hustling? There are many Nigerians in Delta State, who can only put food on the tables of their families by going out daily to work. Now that the Delta State Governor wants everyone to stay at home, to curtail/prevent any possible spread of the coronavirus; what palliative measure and economic stimulus packages is the Delta State Government under Okowa, putting in place to help Nigerians resident in Delta State to go through this period? What measures is Governor Okowa putting in place to help residents cushion the effects of the Stay-at-home order to stop the possible spread of coronavirus?
Will the Delta State Government not provide an economic stimulus package for every person residing in the State, since many depend on their daily businesses to feed and survive? Take the Lagos State Government for example - where the first stage of its economic stimulus package for residents in Lagos, is targeting 200,000 household at an estimation of 6 persons per household. And they hope to ramp this up quickly. The said stimulus package will contain bags of rice, beans, garri, bread, dry pepper, drinking water and vitamins. And each ration is intended to last for 14 days, as they continue to evaluate the impact of the pandemic.
What stops the Delta State Government from doing something similar or even more? This is because the resources are there. But they would rather hoard it amongst themselves, families and close allies/fronts, while the people are left to suffer more during these trying times.
Taking such steps to help the people cushion the effect of the tough times we have found ourselves, is very important for any Government to be taken seriously. Is Governor Okowa aware that, in the last Three Days, prices of basic food items like garri, rice, beans and yam have quadrupled in places like Warri and environs. A basket of garri that used to sell for between N600 to N700, is now sold at between N2,000 to N2,200 in the oil city. And the situation will get worse in the next couple of days. While this bad practice is often engineered by greedy people who want to take advantage of the crisis situation to make money, the question is, what is the State Government doing about it? Especially when we consider the fact that it is the Government’s directive that spurred the price hike in the first place. What mechanisms are being put in place by the Government to avoid/prevent such unnecessary price hike of food items and necessities during this period of the Stay-at-home directive?
What is the Okowa-led Government putting in place to ensure that Nigerians in the State are made not to go through more suffering during this trying period? We are yet to see any serious move and actions by the Okowa-led Delta State Governments in managing this crises situation in the interest of the populace. This is typical of what we usually see as Nigerians from our Government at all levels, during crises situations. Often times, the majority of the Nigerian people are left to fend for themselves, and on their own to survive in any crisis situation. With the magnitude and seriousness of the Coronavirus, we only pray that it does not get worse than it is already, because if it does, it would not be a pleasant sight to behold, particularly in Delta State, where the Government of the day appears unprepared to weather this storm. God help us! But to that extent, we ask that the Delta State Government should impose a curfew in Delta State to restrict movements and curb the possible spread of the Coronavirus, except for essential service providers. This is because it is apparent that Delta State do not have the medical facilities to manage the Coronavirus situation for now. The Okowa-led Government should give these suggestions above, the needed attention before things really get out of hand.
Zik Gbemre.
March 30, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
It is often said that one of the things that reveals the strength and quality of a leader is when that leader is faced with unusual challenges, which threatens the progress and existence of such a society. That is why it is said that tough times don’t last, but tough people do. Sadly, with the apparent panic and fear-ridden atmosphere across the globe, over the widespread pandemic outbreak of the Coronavirus (Covid-19), we are beginning to see the kind of political leaders we have in Nigeria, judging by their various responses and actions in the face of this disease that has claimed many lives.
While we acknowledge and applaud what State Governors like that of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is doing to curtail and address the coronavirus pandemic in its State, we cannot say the same with that of the Delta State Government under Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. Whose only ‘evident’ action since this pandemic started spreading, was to order the closure of schools, and ban religious gatherings of over 50 persons, social events, and other public gatherings. And of course, the recent Stay-at-home Directive from April 1st to 14th, 2020, at the first instance. But the question is; is that all the Delta State Government can come up with, or intend to only carry out in PROACTIVELY addressing this pandemic?
What stops Governor Okowa from rapidly building well-equipped and well-ventilated Isolation Centers in cities like Asaba,Warri, Sapele, Ughelli, Agbor, Orerokpe, Burutu, Otu-Jeremi, Bomadi, Ugwachukwu, etc.? Do they even have any plans to have one in Asaba the State capital? Is the Delta State Governor waiting for us to start having cases of persons with the coronavirus before they start acting in this direction? Now that Delta State has not recorded any case of persons who have tested positive to the coronavirus as at March 30, 2020, would it not be the best time for Governor Okowa to put speedy efforts in motion to start having these Isolation Centers across the above stated major cities of the State?
Why wait, before they now start their usual fire-brigade approach in doing the needful? If anyone in Delta State today may be infected with the coronavirus, where would they go to in the State as the first point of call? Where can people be tested for the coronavirus? Does the State even have the required testing kits and equipment to do this? Or is the Delta State Government solely relying on the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) to handle any eventual cases of the coronavirus in the State? How prepared is the OKowa-led Delta State Government in dealing with possible case(s) of the coronavirus in the State?
Is the Delta State Governor not seeing how the Sanwo-Olu-led Lagos State Government is proactive, responsive and responsible in managing the pandemic situation in the State, by even using the Onikan Stadium and other well-ventilated public places to build huge well-equipped tents as Isolation Centers? Or is the Delta State Government under Okowa waiting for Delta State to start having the number of cases of persons infected with the coronavirus in Lagos, before they start doing what is expected of them? Are they waiting for people to start getting infested and dying before they wake up to their responsibilities?
Again, issuing an Executive Order for people in Delta State to isolate themselves by staying at home for Two Weeks in the first instance, without adequate plans in place to address the growing pandemic, and the difficulty/hardship such an order would bring on the majority of Deltans, is another indication that the Okowa-led Delta State is not prepared, or ready to face this challenge. How will the public fend for themselves in that Two weeks Isolation/Stay-at-home order? Is the Delta State Governor not aware that majority of Nigerians in the State are living in abject poverty, and they can only fend for themselves and families through their ‘daily’ hustling? There are many Nigerians in Delta State, who can only put food on the tables of their families by going out daily to work. Now that the Delta State Governor wants everyone to stay at home, to curtail/prevent any possible spread of the coronavirus; what palliative measure and economic stimulus packages is the Delta State Government under Okowa, putting in place to help Nigerians resident in Delta State to go through this period? What measures is Governor Okowa putting in place to help residents cushion the effects of the Stay-at-home order to stop the possible spread of coronavirus?
Will the Delta State Government not provide an economic stimulus package for every person residing in the State, since many depend on their daily businesses to feed and survive? Take the Lagos State Government for example - where the first stage of its economic stimulus package for residents in Lagos, is targeting 200,000 household at an estimation of 6 persons per household. And they hope to ramp this up quickly. The said stimulus package will contain bags of rice, beans, garri, bread, dry pepper, drinking water and vitamins. And each ration is intended to last for 14 days, as they continue to evaluate the impact of the pandemic.
What stops the Delta State Government from doing something similar or even more? This is because the resources are there. But they would rather hoard it amongst themselves, families and close allies/fronts, while the people are left to suffer more during these trying times.
Taking such steps to help the people cushion the effect of the tough times we have found ourselves, is very important for any Government to be taken seriously. Is Governor Okowa aware that, in the last Three Days, prices of basic food items like garri, rice, beans and yam have quadrupled in places like Warri and environs. A basket of garri that used to sell for between N600 to N700, is now sold at between N2,000 to N2,200 in the oil city. And the situation will get worse in the next couple of days. While this bad practice is often engineered by greedy people who want to take advantage of the crisis situation to make money, the question is, what is the State Government doing about it? Especially when we consider the fact that it is the Government’s directive that spurred the price hike in the first place. What mechanisms are being put in place by the Government to avoid/prevent such unnecessary price hike of food items and necessities during this period of the Stay-at-home directive?
What is the Okowa-led Government putting in place to ensure that Nigerians in the State are made not to go through more suffering during this trying period? We are yet to see any serious move and actions by the Okowa-led Delta State Governments in managing this crises situation in the interest of the populace. This is typical of what we usually see as Nigerians from our Government at all levels, during crises situations. Often times, the majority of the Nigerian people are left to fend for themselves, and on their own to survive in any crisis situation. With the magnitude and seriousness of the Coronavirus, we only pray that it does not get worse than it is already, because if it does, it would not be a pleasant sight to behold, particularly in Delta State, where the Government of the day appears unprepared to weather this storm. God help us! But to that extent, we ask that the Delta State Government should impose a curfew in Delta State to restrict movements and curb the possible spread of the Coronavirus, except for essential service providers. This is because it is apparent that Delta State do not have the medical facilities to manage the Coronavirus situation for now. The Okowa-led Government should give these suggestions above, the needed attention before things really get out of hand.
Zik Gbemre.
March 30, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes