COVID-19: NOA intensifies campaign against false information in Ebonyi

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Ebony has intensified campaigns targeted at diffusing negative and false information making the rounds about COVID-19 pandemic.

The agency’s State Director, Dr Emmanuel Abah said at the Headquarters of Ikwo Local Government Area of the state on Thursday that avoiding false information would go a long way in avoiding the spread of the disease.

Abah led his staff to the local government headquarters, including Ikwo, Ezza South, Ezza North and Ishielu councils on the campaign tagged: “Advocacy Sensitisation Campaign on Increased Risk Communication and Community Engagement on COVID-19”.

The director, represented by the agency’s Programme Director in Ebonyi, Mr Romanus Mbam, expressed worry over people’s belief that “there is nothing like coronavirus’’.

“We don’t need to undermine the efforts of the government toward curbing the spread of the coronavirus disease. This disease is real and it has not been contained.

“We have to advise all workers at the council level to stop the spread of fake news on coronavirus rather support the campaign toward curbing the disease.

“This disease is a serious matter but some people either out of ignorance or deliberately, have decided to spread falsehood and negative information about it.

“‘Please, get it clear, this pandemic is still very much with us. The ease of lockdown should not be understood as the end of coronavirus disease.

“There is need to increase the level of personal hygiene by maintaining regular hand washing, use of face masks and obeying all government approved restrictions and protocols to prevent the community spread of the virus,” the director advised.

Mr Steve Orogwu, the Chairman, Ikwo Local Government Area, commended NOA’s team , saying the council would mobilise staff to ensure full adherence to the preventive measures of the disease in the area.

Orogwu, represented by Head of Personnel Management (HPM), noted that the use of face masks was already enforced in the council and urged all workers to continue to make use of it.

In Ezza North Local Government Area, Mr Elizabeth Alo, Head of Education and Social Welfare in the area, promised that the council would be taking the campaign to the nooks and crannies of the communities in the area.

Mr Francis Chima, the Head of Personnel Management in Ishielu Local Government Area, also pledged to support NOA’s campaign.

The NOA sensitisation train later left for Ishielu market square, where the Programme Director, Mr Romanus Mbam appealed to traders to the strictly adhere to the safety protocols of COVID-19.

ROYAL NEWS recalls that NOA had on Aug. 17, embarked on a state-wide campaign on the possible prevention of community spread of Coronavirus among rural dwellers.