NDDC urges staff to show up as more staff tests positive to Coronavirus

PORT HARCOURT, River State, Nigeria – The  Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) has appealed to all staff to come forward for Coronavirus test as part of contact tracing exercise following the demise of its Director of Finance and Administration, Chief Ibanga Bassey Etang.

The late F&A Director, Chief Ibanga Bassey Etang was confirmed to have died of the Coronavirus pandemic, forcing the NDDC to shut the headquarers in Port Harcourt, while the Rivers State Ministry of Health adviced management staff to go into self isolation.

But in a statement, Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Charles Obi Odili confirmed that some staff have already tested positive to the pandemic and called on other staff to avail themselves for the test. 

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 He said the Commission is liaising with the Rivers State Public Health Emergency team and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, to conduct  Coronavirus tests for members of staff and their dependents.

“The testing exercise, which is ongoing, has already covered the offices of the Acting Managing Director and that of the Acting Executive Director Projects. Unfortunately, a few positive results have been recorded. 

“Staff of the remaining directorates and departments have been advised to avail themselves of the opportunity of being tested at the Medical Unit of the Commission which has been fully decontaminated.

“This important exercise will commence on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, and staff should be rest assured that the COVID-19 pandemic is not a death sentence”, he said.