Sources in the state had told SaharaReporters how the governor had mounted pressure on the hospital’s management to conceal the case.
The Kogi State Government has denied claims that Governor Yahaya Bello had prevailed on health workers at the Federal Medical Center, Lokoja, to evacuate a patient alleged to have been diagnosed with symptoms of COVID-19.
Sources in the state had told SaharaReporters how the governor had mounted pressure on the hospital’s management to conceal the case.
The state government also rebuffed the report that it spent N7bn to construct isolation centre for COVID-19 patients at the hospital.
The governor, who had been at loggerheads with Director-General of Nigeria Center for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, following his comments that Kogi had not sent enough samples for tests and that was why the state had not recorded any case.
Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, debunked the allegations while speaking with SaharaReporters.
He said, “The liars should have used the Specialist Hospital that is fully owned by the state government. The governor did no such thing. He won't play politics with the lives of his people.
“His commitment to his people's wellness is the reason the desperate merchants are trying, though unsuccessfully to blackmail the governor.”
The commissioner admitted that the isolation centre was blown off by rainstorm but maintained that it was built for Lassa fever patients before being its upgrade.
According to a source, who spoke with SaharaReporters, many people in Kogi already have the symptoms of the virus, adding that a full-blown outbreak could soon occur in the state.
The source said, "No testing kits, people did not do testing and nowhere to report and you said the virus is not in the state. We are surrounded by about 10 states that have confirmed cases.
"There is no preparation, nothing in place to show that the governor is fighting COVID-19 and many people have already had the opportunistic infections such as cough, asthma and malaria.”