There is palpable fear in the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) following speculations that a permanent secretary, the head of Health and Human Services Secretariat, and a few directors are down with the dreaded Covid-19. They are said to be receiving treatment.
One top official of the authority confirmed that the head of the Health Secretariat, Dr. Mohammed Kawu, had Covid-19, adding that the authority would issue a statement soon.
On the permanent secretary and the directors, he would not confirm their health status, except to say it is all “rumours and speculations.”
Another source however said the Area 11 Office of the Authority is crawling with Covid-19 without giving specific details.
As at press time, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has recorded 2,348 cases. Of these, 1644 are on admission; 699 have been discharged while there have been 35 deaths, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Responses to text messages sent to the Abuja minister’s spokesman as well as the FCTA director in charge of Information were still been expected. Calls to their telephone lines were not picked.
The Federal Capital Territory minister, Mallam Abubakar Bello, and the Authority he heads have been serially commended for the fight against the pandemic by the NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health, but experts still worry that residents are not taking the fight with the seriousness it deserves.
Many go about unprotected, while breaching the protocols set forth by the NCDC.