The lacklustre attitude of Kano people has backfired. People are dying in droves. Within a week, almost a hundred people have died mysteriously. The Kano State Government has been forced to its knees. In a week, the Government has speedily created two isolation centres to respond to the spread of coronavirus in the State.
Unfortunately, the Oyo State government is still taking issues with levity. Either good or bad, our actions and inactions have consequences. The authorities in the State are still playing populist politics with corona pandemic. I pray we all not live to bear the brunts of our uncanny dispositions.
In Oyo State, I can tell you that nothing is on ground. All we keep hearing are nothing but failed promises. In spite of almost two billion naira the government announced it had spent on war against COVID-19, Oyo State does not have a well-equipped isolation centre.
The Chest Centre in Jericho and the Olodo Centre are not fully functional. A week ago, the University College Hospital (UCH) made it known that the State Government was not ready for collaboration with the Teaching Hospital. “The State Government is still dragging feet in the fight against the novel pandemic”, a source said.
Just this week, Governor Seyi Makinde announced that the State did not have reagents to carry out Coronavirus test on suspected victims. What is the price of reagents that it becomes an uphill task for the Government to procure? If I may ask, assuming there were no fund, what has the Government done with the huge donor funds from some corporate organisations?
Up till today, Oyo State Government has not, officially, given a grain of rice or a sachet of water as palliative to the poor masses of the State. People are languishing in abject poverty. It is an obvious fact that the citizens of the State are groaning in excruciating pains under the iron fist of lockdown.
Coronavirus keeps spreading like wildfire in Oyo State. Cases have been recorded in Ibadan. Yesterday, Ogbomoso has recorded new cases. I don’t know how the virus bypassed Oyo and flew straight from Ibadan to Ogbomoso. If care is not taken, Oyo Town may be a potential abode of corona virus victims. The people of Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa are travelling in and out of their domains without an iota of restriction. I pray the consequences will not be devastating.
The people of Oyo State are helpless. Apart from the two Ibadan isolation centres, I can authoritatively say that there is no other isolation centre in any part of the State. I pray there is no outbreak of this pandemic in Shaki, Iseyin, Igboho, Ogbomoso, Lanlate, Kishi or any parts of the State; the effect may be catastrophic. Why? The State Government is not ready to protect her people.
