Infrequent Coronavirus Testing Kits Wasted On Politician – AIED

In the usual Nigerian “power show” kind of way, the very limited coronavirus testing kits are been wasted by Nigerian politicians who in their usual “travel abroad for everything” brought upon themselves the novel coronavirus infestation.

Rather than use these kits for the ordinary Nigerians that need to be tested, today, the Nigerian political class are all running scared because of the news of the havoc that the novel coronavirus is wrecking in their regular cool off points. Most of them who travelled to these high-risk countries are now all over NCDC using their political powers to forcefully use these kits to test themselves and their cronies.

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Recently, the media was awash with the news of those in the House of Assembly who made trips abroad and refused to submit themselves for the test.

Majority of Nigerians spoken to by this correspondent were of the opinion that the coronavirus in Nigeria is the product of the unnecessary trips that our political class make to these foreign countries.

Following this development, AIED’s (Advocacy for Integrity and Economic Development) Director of Media and Publicity, Comrade O’Seun John, released a statement on Thursday where he said that the blatant wastage of the limited COVID-19 testing kits by NCDC on the political class was unacceptable.

The statement reads,

“We have noticed with utmost dismay the unending wastage of scarce testing kits for COVID-19 on politicians and political office holders at the detriment of the masses.

“We find this endeavour as a disservice to the people of Nigeria who should be the primary focus of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and the Ministry of Health.

“From several reports, the NCDC conducts an average of two tests on governors, senators, House of Representatives and Assembly members, Chief of Staff to the President amongst other influential figures in the country.

“These individuals have been solely responsible for the decades of decay and backwardness our health care system is facing. They stood aloof and budgeted billions of naira for frivolous expenses while the citizens suffer in penury, they do not deserve to enjoy the benefits from magnanimous philanthropists who have inconvenient themselves to help Nigerians.

“It is also on record that most, if not all, of the cases recorded or perceived in the corridors of power have been caused by the sheer refusal to submit to simple emergency protocols and checks at the airports. Nigerians should not then be the ones suffering for the ego and pride of these few ones.

“While we acknowledge that not every Nigerian will get tested for COVID-19, it is extremely important that these testing kits are kept safely for the primary use of the average Nigerian.

“The present statistics of less than 200 individuals who have received testing from the NCDC is disgraceful for a population of almost 200 million people. NCDC must channel its resources on improving the testing rates for Nigerians.

“The NCDC should leave the politicians alone and focus on Nigerians who are more in number and at a greater risk. If any politician feels the need to get tested, such politician can charter a flight to Europe, Asia or America where they get their routine medical check-up.”