Members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have assured of their determination to ensure the effective distribution of COVID-19 palliatives
At the NGF’s COVID-19 teleconference meeting on Thursday, members evaluated efforts made so far by all relevant agencies towards containing the pandemic and resolved, among others to ensure palliatives get to those who needed them most.
Members, according to a communique issued at the end of the meeting, made available by NGF’s spokesman, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, hailed telecommunication service providers in the country for their efforts.
NGF’s members agreed to improve on their collaboration with the telecommunication service providers and relevant government agencies in generating and utilizing relevant demographic data.
The communique, signed by NGF’s Chairman and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, reads in part: “We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF),at our meeting held today, deliberated on the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and resolved as follows:
“The NGF Chairman briefed state Governors on ongoing COVID-19 coordination efforts between the forum and various organizations including the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Coalition Against Covid (CACOVID) and MTN.
“The forum received update from the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr.Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, on the response of his ministry to the COVID-19 pandemic, including support to state governments to help them identify vulnerable persons through a data mining study coordinated by the Nigerian Communications Commission with the support of telecommunications providers in the country.
“The forum commended the Minister for taking a functional role in the COVID-19 response and assured him of their resolve to use all relevant data available to target palliatives to the most vulnerable persons in the most effective and efficient manner.
“Governors are taking necessary measures to strengthen operations in their Emergency Communication Centres (ECCs) to improve the communication response between distressed citizens and Emergency Response Agencies (ERAs) including the State Emergency Agency, ambulance, Police, Fire Service and the Federal Road Safety Corps.
“Operators will be resident in the ECCs to process distress calls and contact relevant ERAs.
“Finally, following an update from Olubayo Adekanmbi, Chief Transformation Officer, MTN Nigeria on ongoing work with the NGF Secretariat to estimate the vulnerability profile of all states based on their populations, age risk, international travel profile, population density and state contiguity, epidemiological metrics and spending pat terns, Governors resolved to adopt the new data to strengthen the distribution of palliatives put in place and support from various organisations and persons.”
By Eric Ikhilae,
The Nation