Coronavirus: Make food, electricity available as you lockdown Nigeria - ASUU tells FG

Coronavirus: Make food, electricity available as you lockdown Nigeria - ASUU tells FG

- ASUU has challenged the federal and state governments over coronavirus lockdown in Nigeria

- Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, the ASUU president, advised the government to make food and electricity available to the people of the country

- Ogunyemi warned that unless the needs of people are made available, the federal and state government may face a rebellion from people

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has advised federal and state government to back their lockdown order with the provision of existential needs for residents.

Legit.ng's regional reporter in Ibadan, Ridwan Kolawole, reports that the president of the union, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, warned that unless the everyday needs of the people are made available, the emerging lockdown of the country may not achieve its desired result of social distancing.

Ogunyemi in a statement issued on Thursday, April 2, in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, said there must be a reasonable supply of electricity, water, and food.

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He warned that unless the needs of people are made available, the federal and state government may face a rebellion from people which would be counterproductive.

“Access to electricity and running water and an unbroken chain of food supply and availability of other essential items should be key components of the policy called lockdown.

Coronavirus: Make food, electricity available as you lockdown Nigeria - ASUU tells FG
The president of ASUU, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi
Source: UGC

“Unless the people’s survival needs are factored into the equation, governments at the national and sub-national levels may be courting an uncontrollable regime of rebellion which may be counterproductive to the cause of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria,” he said.

The ASUU president said the lesson to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic is that issues of health and safety know no territorial boundaries and political leaders everywhere had better work with everyone to make the world safe for all.

“ASUU subscribes to this winning formula and path to collective health. In this our shared globe, no one is safe epidemiologically, socially or physically until everyone is safe.

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“We can conquer the fear emerging from the manifestation of this global pandemic in our little corners. We can contribute to the global movement for prevention and control of its spread by applying the health guides and information from the World Health Organisation and other professional institutions and agencies,” Ogunyemi added.

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He also revealed that ASUU is contributing their quota by distributing sanitisers, and other sensitisation material to check the spread of COVID-19 at various locations including the University of Ibadan and the University of Jos and according to him, other chapters of the institution body will also join in the sensitisation.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, took the lead in creatively producing hand sanitisers to combat the shortage of medical supply in this pandemic period.

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It was reported that the sanitisers were produced by the institution’s department of science and laboratory in partnership with Women in Technical Education (WITED) as a way to deal with scarcity.

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Wale Akinola avatar

Wale Akinola Wale Akinola is a passionate journalist and researcher. He is the Head of Desk, Politics and Current Arts, Legit.ng. He holds both B. A and Master’s degree in Communications and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan. He also holds a Diploma Certificate in Peace Journalism. He has over 15 years of work experience in both print and online media. You can reach him via +2348054137974 or wale.akinola@corp.legit.ng.