By Saminu Ibrahim
Chairman Senate committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, Senator Gershom Bassey has described as encouraging the giant stride of Governor Ben Ayade in the fight against COVID-19 Pandemic in the state.
This comes as the lawmaker applauded the one year anniversary of the 9th National Assembly, saying it has passed far reaching motions, bills and it’s intervention in the economy and politics of the country.
Bassey emphasised that the Cross River State government has done quite well in terms of management of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the state.
Specifically, he noted that governor Ben Ayade has been proactive and encourage more preventive measures.
Senator Gershom Bassey, who represent Cross River south in the Nigerian Senate spoke on Thursday in Abuja.
He recalled that Cross River was the first state to talk of wearing of mask, mass production of mask and social distancing.
“I remember Cross River was the first state to talk of wearing of mask and mass production of mask. I know they were the first to talk about issue of social distancing. Even before NCDC came to our state the mask were already being worn. Even before lockdown, they had already lock down the state. In fact I think the governor himself manned some of the borders and his commissioners.
“So Cross State government was very proactive in it’s fight against Covid-19. The only controversy was the issue of testing and the governor had encouraged more testing, but of course you cannot test if you don’t have the test equipments, so to the best of their ability they tried to prevent the entrance of covid and to act in a responsible way in the state” he said.
Continuing: “Now that testing has started and have gotten the right equipment and sorted out the right protocol, it is only natural that will begin to see cases of covid-19 and of course the borders have been open.
“But having cases of covid-19, is not really an issue, because I don’t believe there is any price for being covid free. Covid-19 is everywhere in the world, so there is no problem with that. What is particularly encouraging is the government response to facet of the covid-19 onslaught.
“And now with the covid-19 coming into to the state, the governor has continue to encourage more testing and encourage more of the preventive measures, I think the other day he was talking of what they are going to do about schools, so he has continue to be proactive in the fight against covid-19.
“I don’t think the focus should be whether we have covid-19 or we don’t have covid-19, that is a trivial issue, as far as am concerned, the main issue is the way you are reacting.
“I believe Cross River State government has been responsible in this covid-19 response and I believe they will continue to be responsible.
“The actions of the government of Cross River State led by the governor has been very proactive in the response to the Coronavirus” Bassey said.
Commenting on the one year of NASS, “The 9th NASS has done very well, we have passed a number of far reaching and fundamental motions, bills and they have been proactive in their intervention in the economy and politics of the country”.
