PRESS RELEASE BY BEROM YOUTH MOULDERS’ ASSOCIATION, HEIPANG DISTRICT ON THE SITING OF A QUARANTINE CENTRE
26th April, 2020

Recall that the people of Heipang Community in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area had on the 18th of April, 2020 expressed concern over the siting of a Quarantine Centre at Godiya Tourists Resort ajacent Plateau State Polytechnic Main Compus, Heipang within residential area. This is because the action by government did not follow stipulated guidelines by World Health Organisation. The community also expressed fears that workers in the facility who are members of the community are being exposed to danger of contracting coronavirus disease as they are not Health Workers, not trained and are not using personal protective equipments.

However, the Plateau state government through the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Ninkong Lar Ndam reacting to the community’s concern on the 20th of April, 2020 during a live programme on one of the radio stations in the state had admitted that the said facility did not follow WHO guidelines as it is within residential area and promised to relocate the quarantine centre from it’s present location to the state NYSC Camp after the end of the 14 days quarantine period for first batch of inmates which ends on Monday, 27th April, 2020. Dr. Ndam also assured members of the public that proper precautionary measures will be taken. The commissioner had also revealed that the community was not informed either before or after the facility was sited because no community will agree to host such facility.

Regrettable, on the 23rd of April, 2020, Plateau State recorded its first confirmed case of COVID 19. Information has it that the index case who is a 20- year old woman who returned from Kano state was quarantine at Godiya Tourists Resort in Heipang Community from the 21st of April before testing positive to the virus on the 23th of
April, 2020.

This further added to our fears that there is a possibility that these innocent workers who are only trying to put food on the table of their families have been exposed to great risk.

The youths of Heipang Community note with concern that despite the promise by the Commissioner of Health, new inmates were admitted into Godiya Tourists Resort on the 23rd and 24th of April,2020 respectively to be quarantine. Sadly also is the fact that the index case stayed for 48 hours at the facility after she was confirmed positive of COVID 19. Also, members of the community who work in the hotel still offer services as against the WHO guideline which says their services be withdrawn and Health Workers take over the facility.

This has created suspicious in the minds of members of the community as to the Plateau state Government’s promise to relocate the facility by Monday, the 27th of April, 2020.

As a Community, we expect that with the confirmed case recorded in the state, government will be more committed to ensure that citizens are not further exposed to the risk of spreading the dreaded disease by immediately quarantining all workers of the hotel, relocating the inmates and immediately decontaminating the facility to stop cases of Community spread of the virus. As against the Commissioner’s statement that no community will agree that the Quarantine Centre be sited in their community, Heipang community has played a supportive role in the fight against COVID 19 pandemic by advising that the facility be moved to the Jos Inland Container Dry Port which is in the outskirt of Heipang. At this point, we will like to state that we will monitor from 00:00am to 23:59pm of 27th April, 2020 to ensure government lives to its promise to moving all the inmates from Godiya Tourists Resort Heipang. We will also note that members of our community who have render services at Godiya Tourists Resort should be quarantine to avoid the risk of community spread of COVID 19 while members be randomly tested. We will also await to hear from government when it will immediately decontaminate the facility.

We want to make it clear that, if government does not relocate the quarantine centre from the present residential area by 23:59 of Monday the 27th of April, 2020, we will be forced to interpret government’s action as a Biological War against us. We will also not be deterred to constitute legal proceedings in if the matter is not addressed properly by the end of the deadline and also be forced the petition the United Nations and the World Health Organisation.

We want the world to note that, the actions of government should not push the members of the community to resolve to self help as we have followed the civil way to engage government.

Heipang community wants to appreciate government’s
ommitment to fighting coronavirus in Nigeria and Plateau State in particular and will continue to support government to win the war against COVID 19.

Signed
Rwang Tengwong
BYM Chairman, Heipang District

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COVID-19: Heipang Youths Want Quarantine Centre Relocated for Being in Residential Area