The Emir of Kaura-Namoda in Zamfara State, Alhaji Ahmad Asha, died on Sunday with the state’s COVID-19 task team attributing his demise to complications from the pandemic.
The Zamfara State Government, while confirming the death in a statement, said that the Emir died at the age of 71.
Mustapha Jafaru, the Publicity Secretary of the state’s Committee on Prevention and Control of COVID-19, in a statement in Gusau, said the traditional ruler had been in isolation at the Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital, Gusau, where he died.
He said that having been suspected of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, the Emir’s blood sample was taken to Abuja where his positive status was confirmed.
The traditional ruler has since been buried in Kaura-Namoda by officials of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The late Emir was appointed in 2004 by the first civilian governor of the state, Alhaji Sani Yariman Bakura.
Until his appointment, he was at various points an accountant, auditor and director of finance at Kaura Namoda, Gusau and Bukkuyum Local Government Areas of the state.
The late Asha was also appointed Village head of Nasarawar Mai-layi in 1975.
He became senior District Head of Kaura Namoda in 2000, a position he held until his appointment as the second Emir of Kaura Namoda in 2004.
Meanwhile, Governor Bello Matawalle has engaged a consortium to fumigate the entire state to contain the spread of the dreaded coronavirus.
The governor made this known while commencing the exercise in Gusau on Sunday.
According to him, the coronavirus pandemic seriously requires all the commitment we can muster as a government and so we are going to do our best to prevent spread.
“These companies, Multiplus Investment Ltd., Jongri Steel Structures and Agro Allied Ltd., have already started the exercise with the training of casual workers drawn from the 14 local government areas of the state.
“They will cover all the nooks and crannies of the state, fumigating and disinfecting,” he said.
The governor explained that the companies would also carry out refuse disposal, disinfection of public environment as well as environmental cleanliness in all the local government areas of the state.
Matawalle said that programmes which included public sensitisation and orientation to educate the public on the importance of the exercise and the dangers associated with COVID-19 and other airborne diseases had been highlighted to the public in the state.
Enugu State recorded one new case of COVID-19 infection bringing the number of confirmed cases to four, two have been treated, tested negative, discharged and two are currently positive.
Commissioner for Health in Enugu State, Obi Emmanuel Ikechukwu, who confirmed the report in a statement, disclosed that “This new case is a 39-year-old who used to live and work in Lagos.”
He added that, “Recently this person travelled back to Enugu on the 22nd of April, took ill subsequently and reported to a mission Hospital in the state.
Staff of the hospital alerted the State COVID 19 response team days later and samples were taken on the 29th of April which have turned out to be positive today 1st May 2020. This new case is not a contact of the 3rd case.”
According to the Commissioner, “Thus far cases reported in Enugu have had positive travel history.”
He advised greater vigilance at the ports of entry into Enugu Stat, saying, “We are now reporting cases that are not primary contacts of confirmed cases”.
The Ministry made the following recommendations to the people of the State: “Stay at home as much as you can.. Use a clean cloth mask daily if you have to go out. Do not touch the front of the mask while wearing it. Remove your mask only from both ears at the same time. Wash your cloth mask, dry and iron it everyday. Maintain respiratory hygiene when you have to cough or sneeze. Maintain social/physical distancing always. Wash your hands as often as you can with soap and running water. When you can’t wash your hands use an alcohol based hand sanitizer frequently.”
“Call these numbers if you think you may have or know someone who may have Covid-19 symptoms, 08182555550 or 09022333833, or the NCDC number 080097000010
If I do these, I protect you and if you do these, you protect me.
Stay Safe!,” he said.
