ASUU partners Edo govt on fight against Covid-19

As part of its coorporate social responsibility to the Nigerian public, the national body of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Wednesday, donated hand sanitizers, washing soaps, buckets and receptors containers to the Edo State government to help halt the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus disease in the state.

The ASUU president, Comrade Biodun Ogunyemi, represented by Prof. Fred Asumeh, Zonal Coordinator, ASUU, Benin Zone, while presenting the items to the government at the Government house in Benin, said the decision was borne out of the resolution reached at the end of executive meeting held recently.

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Biodun said the fight against the pandemic must be seen as a collective one and not to be left for the government alone.

“Our address this morning centered on the need for collective efforts towards the fight against Covid-19 pandemic that is ravaging the entire world and with Nigeria not being spared.

“Our presentation this morning 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 stop the transmission of the Coronavirus.

“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 Coronavirus. We have had even as far as Sokoto and Jos.

“They have been on this effort and they are here today to also complement the Edo State Task Force on Covid 19 pandemic”, he said.

The intervention materials included sanitizers, washing soaps, buckets and receptors containers.

In his response, the Secretary to the Edo State government, Barr. Osarodion Ogie while receiving the items on behalf of the state government, thanked ASUU as a body for being in the vanguard of curbing the spread of the virus through the use of jingles on radio, leaflets and sensitising the public on what to do to end the spread of the virus.

Ogie said the country is in a critical state, noting that all hands must be on deck to end the scurge.

“For ASUU, well we are not surprised because you are part of the elightened society.

“And we appreciate what you have done and ask 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”, he said.

He assured the people of the state that the fight against the virus is a must win.

“I want to assure you for us as a government, this is one battle that we must win.

“Coronavirus is not a death sentence. If we do the right thing as a people, we will keep it away.

“And I can tell you that we have begun to get positive response from our people. The message is beginning to sink in. We will follow it up. It is task that must be done. Wherever we find ourselves, we must talk to our people”, he said.