The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, has resumed office after leading the Ministerial Task Team on COVID-19 to Kano and eight (8) other states.
He made this known while addressing members of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) on the Sustainable Production/ Delivery of Essential Commodities during COVID-19 Pandemic in Abuja.
He commended the members for the good work in keeping the tempo while he was in Kano on National assignment.
According to him, “I led the Ministerial Task Team on COVID-19 in Kano, it was conceived by the Honourable Minister of Health who sought the concurrence of his brother Minister Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and investment and the Head of Service of the Federation (HOCSF).
“Fortunately, the assignment went on very well, my team is still in Kano, we have not finished the assignment but, in the interim, while making progress in Kano, the Honourable Minister of Health identified the need to increase and extend similar assessment to eight (8) additional States; Bauchi, Gombe, Sokoto, Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Yobe Zamfara among others. The Honourable Minister of Health increases our mandate, he provided the logistics and almost on a daily basis we are in one State or the other”.
He further said, “Fortunately to say that some modest impact has been made, at least we understand what is happening. Two areas that became very clear were incessant of unexplained mortality, for which a study is still going on to determine what the cause was really.
“We have conducted verbal Postmortem research to find out what was the cause but we thought we needed to add a new dimension to it to give us a scientific basis for our final decision which was the reason we extended the decision to do biological studies. When the report is ready we will give it to the State”, he said.
Dr. Gwarzo also disclosed that he was happy that after a high risk assignment; he tested negative twice to COVID-19. “My sample was taken and I tested negative, I went into quarantine again for a few days before another test was done, the second test came out negative”.
He added, “I left you as a team and I came back to find you as a family, this to me is the epitome of achievement. Usually when you create a team, and it is successful, it will continue to flourish until it becomes a family at the end of the day. Honestly, I am very impressed with that particular aspect. Also, with the volume of work that has been done, the successes recorded, the evidence you have assembled as well I think is phenomenal and the meticulous records you have kept and that is why I told the team on arrival that there is need to document this not only in terms of reports, as the country and the world at large would lose a lot if this is not documented”.
He further revealed that lessons learnt in this process would make a difference for EOC as a team, as a group, and as a sector.
“The EOC is a committee I missed so much, although I see a daily report but I have not been able to interact with you as I used to do. On a daily basis, I see the report as submitted by Engr. Battah on your behalf, I must say that a lot of work has been done, a lot of achievements have been recorded and a lot of patience and real commitment, a very rare kind of commitment has been exhibited”.
He added that fortunately the assignment given to them by President Muhammadu Buhari went on very well, although the team is still in Kano as it is on the verge of concluding its assignment.
Earlier, the Manager of EOC, Engr. Battah Ndirpaya commended the Permanent Secretary for embarking on the new assignment given to him and his team as to justify the confidence reposed in him by the President.
Presently, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, belongs to Four (4) Committees of COVID-19 Pandemic namely; Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) and the Committee on the Sustainable Production/Delivery of Essential Commodities during COVID-19 Pandemic, (SPEC) at the Ministry and he also belongs to the Advisory Committee on the recovery of the economy and Ministerial Task Team on COVID-19 Pandemic to Kano State.
