Director- General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu said the Kogi State Government rejected the offer by agency to ascertain the true situation of COVID-19 in the state.
The DG spoke in reaction to the drama at the Kogi State Government House on Thursday when the NCDC delegation from Abuja were received by Governor Yahaya Bello.
After briefing the team on measures taken by the state to combat the virus, Gov Bello directed them to go on 14-day isolation or leave the state, and the team picked the latter.
At the presidential task force briefing on Friday, the NCDC boss said they can only offer help when it is needed.
“We can only offer help where it is wanted. Yesterday, we offered that help but it wasn’t in a place where the help could be accepted. Unfortunately, that was what happened last night,” Ihekweazu said.
“We have supported Kogi in every possible way, one of the first states that had an emergency operation centre supported by NCDC.
“In the long term, the purpose of our existence is to support the state, they have the primary responsibility for health security. Our role is to support, it’s a role I take seriously.”
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Government was worried about why the NCDC would not abide by its own guidelines.
Kogi and Cross River are the two states yet to confirm a single case of the disease in the country.
