Niger Speaker, Clerk test positive for COVID-19

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Barrister Bawa Wuse and the Clerk of the House Mohammed Kagara have gone into self-isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus.

The lawmakers and principal staff, it was learnt have gone into quarantine as the second wave of the pandemic hits the state

A source in the House said most of the test carried on the lawmakers returned negative except that of the Speaker and the Clerk, adding that the dou are, however, responding to treatment.

According to the source, two weeks ago, a member of the house tested positive and this made the whole legislators and staff of the assembly to undergo testing for coronavirus.

“Unfortunately, the results of the speaker and that of clerk turned out positive,” the source said.

Confirming the situation, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mohammed Sani Idrissaid the Speaker and Clerk of the Assembly are down with Covid-19 and currently on isolation, adding that the two are doing well.

The recent spike in the dreaded coronavirus in the state has led to death including that of a former Head of Service HoS that occurred on Saturday.

The development is said to have created panic in the minds of civil servants in the state and especially, within those in the House of Assembly in particular.

Due to second wave in COVID-19 in the country, Niger State Government last week directed all civil servants to stay at home from Monday, 21st December, 2020 till further notice except those on essential services.

It also ordered the closure of public and private schools and tertiary institutions across the state for the period of thirty days.