Opinion
Decentralising NCDC For Efficiency
According to the American playwright, Silvia Pratt, in her poem entitled ‘Conversation Among The Ruined,’ …which such Blight Wrought on our bankrupt estate, what ceremony of words can patch the havoc.
Truly, what ceremony of words can patch the havoc caused by Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19?
Since the pandemic emerged from Wuhan, China, in December 2019, it has brought the world to its knees with about 109,000 deaths and about 1.8 million confirmed cases across the world.
Surprisingly, the pandemic has brought down to ground zero even the best of health care systems because the disease is new or novel.
As a result, many nations have announced travel ban on foreigners while others have declared a total lockdown, leading to a sudden global economic meltdown.
For instance, it has been reported that Coronavirus, at a point, was killing one person every 10 minutes in Iran; death tolls in Italy and Spain overtook China while United States of America is the new epicenter.
Africa has got its fair share of the emerging Coronavirus pandemic. This is evidenced from the number of African countries that have recorded suspected cases and fatalities as the case may be.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has been adversely affected with about 320 confirmed cases, 10 deaths, while the Governors of Bauchi, Kaduna and Oyo States have been confirmed positive.
With the hindsight of Ebola epidemic in 2014, pundits expressed fear that the next state after Lagos would be Rivers State. This is because Rivers State remains the hub of oil and gas industry in Nigeria with the presence of two seaports in Port Harcourt and Onne, an international airport at Omagwa, supported by the Air Force Base as well as a train terminus in the heart of Port Harcourt- suggestive of an influx of people into the state.
The Rivers Commissioner for Health, Professor Princewill Chike, on Saturday, March 14 immediately addressed the media where he stated categorically clear that the suspected case of a 43 year- old Imo State man was negative.
Chike disclosed that the samples were taken to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) infectious disease centre.
In his words: “The nasal, or pharyngeal and sputum samples were collected for analysis and dispatched to the reference laboratory in LASUTH.
He concluded thus: “The result from the test is available and is negative”.
Be that as it may, the state has recorded two confirmed cases while contact tracing is ongoing. About ten states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have recorded confirmed cases of COVID -19.
Interestingly, various state governments have constituted a COVID-19 awareness campaign committee or Response Team to control the pandemic. The Federal Government has Presidential Task-force on COVID-19.
In as much as awareness campaign, closure of schools, markets as well as total lockdown are necessary, COVID-19 offers the nations of the world, including Nigeria and her states, the opportunity to review health care delivery system in the country.
This is because even the best health care system in the world has succumbed to COVID-19 pandemic.
This review requires holistic scientific investigation into the manufacturing of vaccines and drugs needed for disease prevention and cure. It is commonly said that necessity is the mother of invention.
To this end, one strategic sector of health care delivery that must be reinvented is a virile public health laboratory system such as the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and public health laboratories in some states of the federation such as Rivers State.
This is why the call for decentralization of NCDC is apt in our national life today as NCDC’s five centres alone cannot cope with about 6,000 people identified in contact tracing nationwide so far. The five centres are in Lagos where there are two, one in Abuja, one in Irrua (Edo State) and one in Osun State.
It is cheering news that a new NCDC Centre has been established in Ebonyi State while others are underway.
The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health, must act fast to decentralize NCDC through collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), states and well-meaning individuals to establish molecular laboratories beyond the five existing centres of NCDC.
In this regard, collaboration and decentralization require the purchase of relevant calibrated laboratory equipment and hands-on training.
These public health laboratory equipment include, but not limited to, Polymerase Chain-Reaction (PCR), High Performance Liquid Chromatography, Spectrophotometer and Compound Microscope, particularly the brands designed for specific purposes.
For instance, PCR according to experts is required to identify causative organism to their specie level, Ribo Nucleic Acid in virus as well as amplify specific gene and acid detection and sequencing.
Better still, to qualify and specialize in virology and bacteriology in graduate studies in laboratory science and epidemiology, one must undertake scientific research in molecular laboratories such as the one used to analyse COVID-19 samples.
The absence and in fact obsolete equipment in tertiary institutions in the country have hampered research on emerging diseases.
The decentralization of NCDC and collaboration with state governments would aid the diagnoses and treatment of emerging zoonotic diseases ravaging mankind today.
These diseases include, but not limited to, COVID-19, SARS, Ebola, TB, Lassa fever, Psittacosis, Toxoplasmosis and Rabbies, among others.
As organisms continue to mutate, humans must be determined to control emerging diseases.
The time to act is now.
By: Baridorn Sika
Opinion
Why Reduce Cut-Off Mark for C.O.E ?
Opinion
Welcome! Worthy Future For R/S
Opinion
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
-
Politics1 day ago
Bayelsa APC Hails Late Buhari As Change Agent In Nigerian Politics
-
News1 day ago
Shettima, Atiku, Obi Attend Buhari’s Fidau Prayer In Daura
-
News1 day ago
JAMB Uncovers 9,469 Fake Admissions In 20 Tertiary Institutions
-
News1 day ago
NAF Disowns Recruitment Adverts, Says It’s Fake
-
Nation1 day ago
Alumni, Others Launch Campus Care Initiative In Port Harcourt
-
News1 day ago
Rivers Chief Judge Frees 21 Awaiting Trial Inmates
-
Politics1 day ago
Natasha’s Counsel Writes Senate Over Court Judgment
-
Nation1 day ago
NIPR Practitioners Urge To Go Beyond Traditional Media Relations To Strategic Leadership Functions