Coronavirus: Chinese nationals abscond project sites in Imo

By CHRIS NJOKU, Owerri

Chinese nationals hired by former Governor of Imo State Emeka Ihiedioha to execute road projects in the state have absconded from the sites for fear of being quarantined, our investigation revealed.

They have been off the road since the case of the Italian citizen who entered Nigeria from Milan, Italy for a brief business trip tested positive in Lagos.

The Chinese nationals working for the Chec Engineering for past three weeks left the site and have not been seen anywhere in the state.

It gathered that they left the state when the news broke out that some workers were been quarantined in Ogun State.

Some of the workers interviewed said that they have not seen the Chinese who were supervising the project at the sites.

A Nigerian worker who pleased not be mentioned, said that the Chinese nationals were no longer coming to site until before we’re always around to supervise the road construction work.

Our investigation revealed that the road contract was awarded to the Chinese company to execute the Ihiagwa- Nekede Polytechnic Road, Owerri-Aba and Akachi roads, but the nationals deserted the sites when the news of the coronavirus went viral.

Meanwhile, some Imo indigenes have expressed worry about the presence of the Chinese workers in the state and demanded that the state government should quarantine the workers to safeguard the citizens from the deadly virus.

Nze Paul Osuji appealed to the state government to do something about the presence of the Chinese company in the state to ensure that the Chinese nationals and the Nigerian workers are free from the disease. However, the state government has assured the people that they are monitoring the situation closely.

Speaking, the Director of Imo State Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr. Austin Okeji said that the duty of the government was to monitor the point of entry of other nationals into the state.

He said that surveillance had been put in place to ensure that contacts were monitored, using the thermometer to test the people coming into the state at designated entry points.

However, he advised the people to adopt good hygiene practices especially hand washing using alcohol-based sanitisers to disinfect themselves.

He said that people should be calm and go about their business without been afraid. (The Nation)