Covid-19: Udom Emmanuel Slams FG Over Neglects, Sets To Build Its Own PCR Lab

Akwa Ibom state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has averred that, despite the state’s contribution of about 25 percent to the nation’s revenue, it has deemed it unnecessary to provide the state with a testing centre.

He made this disclosure during a Radio and Television interactive session on Saturday night in Uyo.

According to him, the state was tired of begging the Federal Government and has decided to go ahead to establish a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratory, saying that, the centre was nearing completion.

“We have also waited on the Federal Government to no end. We have waited, hoping that by today, a state that sits on at least 25 per cent of the gas reserves of this country deserves at least one testing centre.

“We have waited on the Federal Government with all the support that we are hearing they are also getting, they have not given us even one testing centre. We cannot continually wait on Federal Government, so we have decided as a State Government to set up our own PCR laboratory.

“As I am talking to you right now, it is nearing completion. We are going to make it of International standard; trust, if it is not, WHO would not certify it. We would not start testing there until we are certified by WHO, then after, we will bring in the NCDC to certify.

“We have been waiting on the Federal Government to set it up for us as they are setting in other places but we have not gotten that response. We hope they will come in other ways to assist us.

“We have been shouting, we have been complaining that we are yet to get one naira assistance from the Federal Government, and we rightly deserve it too because we are part and parcel of the citizens of the whole country, that they owe us the responsibility to protect lives,” he stated.

Governor Emmanuel said the isolation centre in Ituk Mbang was ready for commissioning and would be commissioned this week.

He explained that, the centre is in line with international standard, adding that, the World Health Organisation (WHO) commended the centre, describing it as ‘one of the wonders of COVID-19’ in the state.

On reopening of churches, the governor said that, since the government set up rules, it was the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that would direct on that, promising that, government and CAN would meet soon to work out modalities on how to reopen the churches.