Ikpeazu orders state officials to undergo COVID-19 tests

Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has directed all members of the state executive council and the COVID-19 Inter-ministerial Committee should immediately undergo Covid-19 tests and thereafter isolate selves pending the outcome of their tests.

A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Chief Okiyi Kalu disclosed that the directive followed the likely contacts the state officials had with the deceased Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Solomon Ogunji, who until his death was a member of the state Covid-19 Committee.

He, however, explained that Ogunji’s death was traced to hypertension and not the coronavirus pandemic

Kalu stated that the governor who is still mourning the late commissioner, implied that all those directed to undergo the tests should also subject themselves to necessary COVID-19 protocols and urged all Abia citizens to continue to observe relevant regulations to contain further spread of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Kalu explained that public interest generated by Emmanuel Ononiwu’s escape from an isolation centre after testing positive for COVID-19 informed government’s decision to publish his identity.

He added that doing so through his picture was to confirm that he was in isolation and that he no longer constituted a public health risk.

Kalu, a member of the state Covid-19 Committee added that the move was also to remove doubt that Ononiwu’s picture was taken from his place of isolation at Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre in Amachara.

Ononiwu had claimed that he was declared wanted for running away from the isolation facility, but the commissioner announced on Saturday, May 30, 2020 that he along with his wife and other family members submitted themselves for isolation and management.

The commissioner added, “Ononiwu is being well taken care of and will not suffer any further consequences for his initial lack of good judgement, which happened because he was probably scared.”