*Why we brought Chinese medical team to Nigeria- CCECC
*Twitter agog with shabby treatment meted to Nigerians in China
The arrival on Wednesday of 15 Chinese doctors to assist Nigeria combat the dreaded Coronavirus scourge has continued to attract reactions from a cross section of Nigerians, who have in one voice said no to the August visitors.
Top on the list of those who are complaining rather that heave a sigh of relief is Senator Dino Melaye who until February represented Kogi west in the Senate.
Meanwhile, the Chinese firm, through which the medical doctors arrived Nigeria, said that they are “not coming to treat CVID-19 patients in Nigeria.”
Stating that they are in the country “in keeping with its corporate value, “Stride with Nigeria,” CCECC is participating in the construction of two COVID-19 response facilities in the FCT for free as part of its Corporate Social Responsibilities. The facilities are a 196-bed at “ThisDay Dome Treatment Centre,” in collaboration with Sahara Group and Arise News; and the 150-bed “Idu Depot Treatment Centre.”
But in a statement released by the former Kogi lawmaker on Thursday via his Twitter handle, Melaye described the arrival of Chinese doctors in Nigeria as an act of irresponsibility on the part of the federal government.
”It is Leadership irresponsibility for the FG to disregard
the call by majority of Nigerians on the importation of Chinese doctors into
Nigeria.
”It is gross disrespect for the NMA to be ignored with ignominy except the
Chinese doctors are here to treat infected Aso rock patients. Oh God, give us
leaders who fear you and are passionately in love with their people.” Melaye
said
In another vein, the senior pastor of Awaiting The Second Coming of Jesus Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa has mocked the federal government by maintain that the Chinese doctors are in Nigeria to treat politicians in the presidential villa.
Giwa stressed that because the doctors are not capable to travel to the United Kingdom, they have only detoured to Nigeria to examine the general health status of occupants of Aso Villa.
He expressed regrets that the Buhari-led APC has indeed disappointed the teeming masses that trusted them with the power to oversee their well-being.
“Under this administration, we have read how gorilla swallowed over $19,000. We have also witnessed how they miraculously shared billions of Naira to poor Nigerians. This is highly disgusting and intentionally embarrassing. Now, they are claiming they invited Chinese doctors to treat Nigerians. Who are the Nigerians? I challenge them to mention their names. We shouldn’t allow ourselves to be fooled anymore.
“The United Kingdom they normally run to is no longer safe. So, they decided to find another opportunity to invite Chinese medical experts to check their health status. Coronavirus disease has further opened ways for them to steal our money. You asked millions of Nigerians to stay at homes without providing them relief packages. Tell me how someone who relies on a transportation business to feed his family to survive? How can market women and men cope? I want to use this medium to also urge President Buhari Buhari to uninstall any cable relating to 5G in Nigeria.”
However, the unwelcomed arrival of Chinese doctors, who touched down in Abuja with a cargo-load of drugs and equipment’s to help Nigeria combat the COVID-19 virus has brought to the fore a development that is presently playing out in China, where authorities are targeting Nigerians living in their private residences or are lodged in different hotels.
Video footage that have emerged on Twitter has shown that Chinese officials are harassing Nigerians who are in that country for legitimate businesses and have embarked on a campaign to seize their passports without offering any explanations.
The Twitter images have drawn Nigeria to start a thread coded #ChinaMustExplain, which is calling on concerned authorities to wade into the matter. Frantic calls have been made to the director General of the Nigeria Diaspora commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa to get to the roots of the ugly development playing out in China against innocent Nigerians.
Mr Micheal Jiang, Managing Director of the Chinese firm, CCECC Nigeria, said in a statement: “With the backing of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and People’s Republic of China, China Railway Construction Corporation (‘CRCC’), through its subsidiary China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (‘CCECC’), is supporting Nigeria in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic that is adversely affecting livelihoods and economies across the world by making available necessary medical equipment and health consumables.
“Assisted by the Nigerian Government, CCECC is delivering amongst others around 16-tons of test kits, ventilators, disinfection machine, disposable medical masks, N95 masks, medicines, rubber gloves, protective gowns, goggles, face shields, infra-red thermometers and other critical care items, through a chartered flight operated by Air Peace.
“The chartered flight is due to arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on 8 April 2020, these items required by the Nigerian Government will be handed over by CCECC to relevant authorities. Considering its large number of employees in Nigeria, CCECC at its own cost, will dispatch a 15-member working team from CRCC, 12 of whom are experienced medical professionals with expertise in infectious disease, respiratory illness, intensive care, cardiology, neurology, general surgery and anesthesiology.
“Members of the team also have relevant experience in the prevention and diagnosis of the COVID-19. All members of the working team have tested negative to COVID-19 and shall commence their stay in Nigeria by undertaking 14 days in quarantine. The primary purpose of the working team is to escort the medical supply, provide guidance for their usage and distribution.
“They will also provide CCECC employees with critical and necessary healthcare assistance where necessary. They are also coming with adequate PPE and medical items for the employees. In addition, under the directive of Chinese Embassy and in response to the Nigeria Government’s request, the working team may also share with Nigerian medical teams’ effective methods on how to contain the COVID-19 and provide advice on the use of relevant medical equipment.”