The first record of fast-spreading Coronavirus (COVID 19) in Africa-Nigeria, was announced by Nigeria’s Federal Health Ministry in a press release dated February 27, 2020.
Reacting to this information on GhanaWeb’s Trending Gh, some Nigerians at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra raised skepticism over the announcement.
They say there are some inconsistencies in the ministry’s accounts of what led to the country’s first case of the deadly coronavirus.
According to these skeptics, the Italian citizen who is reported to have tested positive for the virus upon his arrival at a Nigerian airport in any case would have been detected as a carrier of the virus and quarantined in Italy.
“I believe it’s a scam. The ministry of Health I believe they know about it, they have connived with the government to scam we the Nigerians.”
Other Nigerians who also spoke on Trending GH said they believe in the government of Nigeria to put the safety and interest of its citizens first in its handling of the coronavirus situation.
According to some of these Nigerians, most of whom have been to their country in recent times, the measures put in place by their government even before the first case was recorded indicate the government's readiness to manage the virus.
“Nigeria has one of the very best health standards. Even yesterday when I was coming we were well screened at the border, they even gave me a form to fill.” A businessman said.
“I go to Nigeria twice in a week and every time we cross the border we are tested but health workers. They pour something into your hands and you are asked to wash your hands and they conduct some tests on you. They were doing all these even before the first case was recorded.” A driver also told GhanaWeb.
In all, the Nigerians who spoke to GhanaWeb on Trending Gh about the recorded case of COVID 19 in their country, said the situation is in not going to deter them from travelling back to their home country as and when the need arises.