Cross River state governor, Ben Ayade, on Thursday insisted that the state has zero COVID-19 cases.
The Governor who lauded the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control said there is nothing the state stands to gain by denying COVID-19 cases in the state if they exist.
He said: “As a state, we were the first to lock down our boundaries. Records have it that Cross River is the only state that invested over 100 vehicles for effective manning of its boundaries and we even went beyond that by producing facemasks, shields and other Personal Protective Equipment.
“So for some people to doubt the credibility of our COVID-19 free status is to imply that all the efforts of the state were not noticed.
“At this point, the state has been handed over to the Federal Government; all our boundaries are now opened, following the lifting of the ban on inter-state movement by the federal government.
“Residents of the state must know that we no longer have control over our boundaries, we have surrendered to the supremacy of the federal government and opened our boundaries,” Ayade said.
He added: “Cross River that is COVID-19 free will now have an avalanche of cases, I see it coming, therefore, with this message, it means our response team would be back on the road because as long as our boundaries are opened, our eyes will be open.
“So, as a resident of the state, if you think by easing lockdown, you are now safer, no, now you are more in danger, this is the time for you to commence a personal lockdown.”
Ayade, however, thanked the Federal Ministry of Health and NCDC for being a great example, playing a professional and technical role and given a world-class response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
Dr Betta Edu, Chairman of the state COVID-19 Response Team, thanked all the government appointees who came all out and helped in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
Edu also commended officials of the state Garment factory who were exceptional in the production of facemasks, shields and Personal Protective Equipment.
The governor also gave a cash donation of N30 million to the state COVID-19 Response Team in appreciation of its efforts in the fight against the virus in the state.
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