Bayelsa’s first lady leads sensitization campaign on coronavirus

The wife of the Bayelsa state Governor, Mrs. Gloria Diri has urged women in the state to apply preventive measures in their homes to ensure their families are safe from the ravaging coronavirus.

The first lady made the call during the 2020 International Women’s Day celebration held on March 16 and organized by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs with the theme: “I am generation equality: Realising women’s rights” at the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre in Yenagoa.

Speaking on the theme, Mrs. Diri emphasized on the need for women to be giving their rightful place in the society, adding that gender equality entails encouraging women to be who they ought to be, empowering them with education, re-orienting their minds on who they ought to be and where they are going to.

She said that “we have empowered the women with the information they need. So having being empowered with the information, they should educate their family, their children and their husbands.

Their husbands go out there to educate others and gradually everybody becomes aware of it and so we will be protected from the coronavirus.

READ ALSO: Ooni mediates in Ekiti traditional council crisis with governor

“When you talk about gender equality, we are saying that the men are still the head as the Bible has given them their place, but we are equal in the face of everything. Talk about profession, in work place, whatever you can think about, the woman is equal with the man.

“But, when you come to the role and responsibilities when the home is concerned, we the women do not struggle for that. We remain where God said we should be. Nobody is taking that from the men.”

Chief Whip of the state House of Assembly, Ebiuwou Obiyai, said that the coronavirus is real, adding that people are dying every day and as a state, the government needs to prepare to curb the spread of the disease.

Obiyai advised people of the state to learn to wash their hands regularly, saying that “we should also ensure we don’t shake people the way we used to shake before because it can be transferred.

So, for women, we must prepare. Take good care of our homes. Ensure we maintain proper hygiene in terms of how we clean our homes, managing our children, managing our husbands and contact with others.

“I think that is the best way to go. And if there are symptoms, don’t hide. Go to the hospital and take the necessary treatment.

Go on time because by today, we can see that people are responding to treatment. I believe it is not a disease that will actually kill everybody if we know what to do at the right time.

“If you have the Coronavirus, it is better you open up and be quarantined; kept in one place until you are okay to be able to associate with others.”