BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
The Cross River State Traditional Rulers Council has applauded the state governor, Sir Ben Ayade for his proactive efforts, which led to the state being free of Coronavirus.
This was contained in a statement signed by its Chairman, His Royal Majesty, Etinyin Etim Okon Edet, and made available to newsmen in Calabar.
The statement described the success as unprecedented asserting that, “the outbreak of COVID-19 has not only been revelatory but has indeed separated boys from men, “professors of science from professors of science.”
According the council, “the recent visit of the Presidential task Team from Abuja through the Nigerian Centre Disease Control (NCDC) led by Dr. Omobolanle Olowu has not only confirmed the COVID-19 free status of the state but has scored the State first in all indices”.
While lauding the governor for the feat, Etinyin Edet maintained that, “The Traditional Rulers in the state therefore, commend the ingenuity and pragmatic efforts of the State governor, Senator Prof Ben Ayade and the entire COVID-19 team, in preventing the spread of the virus through early closure of borders, provision of nose masks and adequate monitoring which has landed the state “a COVID-19 free status by the Presidential Task Team”.
He hinted that “while other States, including the federal government were locking down all means of livelihood, our dear Governor only locked out and allowed economic activities but with the enforcement of “no masks, no movement”.
The traditional rulers through its chairman therefore, appealed to the federal government and other international organisations to lend their hands of support to the State as a moral booster considering its state of finances so as to enable it maintain the feat.
“We assure our amiable Governor of our continued support as prevention is indeed better and cheaper than cure, he added”.
