Worried by the rising cases of the COVID-19 in Edo State, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday donated hand sanitizers, washing soaps, buckets and receptors containers to the Edo State government to help halt the spread of the pandemic in the state.
Represented by Prof. Fred Asumeh, the Benin Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, the national president, Comrade Biodun Ogunyemi who presented the items to the government at Government House, Benin explained that the donation was borne out of the resolution reached at the end of the executive meeting held recently.
Biodun remarked that the crusade against the global pandemic should a collective one and not to be left for the government alone, noting that the initiative was aimed at complementing the effort of Edo State Taskforce on COVID-19.
He added: “Our presentation arose from our national executive council that resolved that despite the fact that our Union is still on strike with government, the COVID-19 pandemic is a global threat to humanity and as such, the academics all over must come together and intervene in our efforts to ensure will stop the transmission of the COVID-19.
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“The exercise of intervention from our Union started on the 31 of March 2020 at the University of Ibadan and from there, so many branches and zones of our Union have been on, intervening by donating some materials that will help curb or stem the transmission chain of the COVID-19. We have even gone as far as Sokoto and Jos.”
The Secretary to the Edo State government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie who received the items commended the union for being in the vanguard of curbing the spread of the virus through radio jingles, leaflets and sensitizing the public on what to do to end the spread of the virus.
The scribe said: “For ASUU, well we are not surprised because you are part of the elightened society. And we appreciate what you have done and asked that you continue to place your voice on the messages that are going out.Like the Secretary Government of the Federation, SGF said yesterday, it is a war situation and we all just have to put our hands together.”