Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, Hon Titus Uba, his son and another lawmaker, Hon Tertsea Gbisea, representing Kwande East State constituency, have tested positive for COVID-19.
Their positive status was released to the press on Monday morning via a press statement.
Consequently, the speaker of the house has ordered the immediate closure of the assembly complex.
Both the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Lubem Tiav and Chairman, Committee on Information and Orientation of the State Assembly, Tertsea Gbisea respectively issued separate statements to the effect.
The statement by the speaker’s media aide which read in parts said,
“Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly Titus Uba received his COVID-19 results on Saturday and tested positive, all the speaker’s household whose samples were tested for the dreaded disease came out negative except the speaker and his last son.
“Among his household that presented themselves for testing, all returned negative except for his last son who tested positive.
“According to the results, he is asymptomatic but stable, hale and hearty in high spirit and has since commenced full treatment in self-isolation according to the protocol and advice of medical professionals.
Also, the statement by the house chairman committee on Information and Orientation who also tested positive for COVID-19 said that the speaker of the house had ordered the immediate closure of the assembly complex.
“As a result of this development, the speaker has ordered the immediate closure of the Assembly complex and directed the fumigation of the premises.
“The Assembly, by virtue of its official functions and constituency responsibilities stands the natural risk of exposure to carriers of the COVID-19 despite adherence to personal hygiene and COVID-19 safety protocols, and just like every other public worker, it is an occupational hazard that comes with service.
“The affected members have immediately gone into self-isolation and full treatment on them has commenced in line with COVID-19 protocols.
While Rt Hon Uba and Hon Gbiseh are without symptoms they are at the moment assisting the NCDC in contact tracing.
