COVID -19: ASUU urges FG to invest more on research, higher education
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Wednesday said investment in university education at national and sub-national levels would give the country quality medical scientists who can respond to any health challenge.
ASUU also declared that vaccine for the treatment of COVID-19 disease could be developed in Nigeria provided the country’s leaders would show the political will to sufficiently empower the nation’s biomedical and behavioural scientists among other scholars to undertake cutting edge research into the deadly virus.
ASUU’s National President, Dr. Biodun Ogunyemi said this while speaking in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital when he led members of the Lagos zone of the association to donate 1, 000 pieces of 125ml bottled hand sanitizers to the state government.
Speaking when the state’s Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, received the ASUU delegation, Ogunyemi emphasised that what Nigeria stands to learn from the pandemic was that investment in education yields immeasurable dividends, stressing that public education and public health were inseparable.
“For instance, conscious and determined investment in university education at national and sub-national levels would give our country quality medical scientists, behavioural scientists, creative scholars and other informed citizens who can respond intelligently to challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.
“To achieve better results, we believe that government at the federal and state levels need to work with public intellectuals and patriotic trade unions like ASUU.
“We also believe such collaborative efforts should be channelled towards addressing issues of funding, condition of service, academic freedom and university autonomy as well as other matters which are germane to repositioning Nigerian universities for global competitiveness,” he averred.
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Ogunyemi explained that ASUU’s involvement in the war against COVID-19 pandemic was consequent upon the directive issued to all its 70 branches and 13 zones to play active roles in the fight against the spread of the dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria.
“Your Excellency, I wish to place on record that ASUU decided to free our members for participation in COVID-19 control efforts, in spite of our ongoing nationwide strike action, to demonstrate our concern for the health and well-being of Nigerians,” he added.
Ogunyemi further explained that ASUU branches nationwide have been involved in the production, presentation and distribution of information, education and also communication materials, hand sanitizers and facilities for hand washing, among others in 20 states of the federation.
“As the saying goes, prevention is better and cheaper than cure. So, through it, we can fight together and push back the dreaded virus from our land. The donation of some items to the Ogun state government today is a practical demonstration of that belief,” he explained.
Speaking on behalf of the government, the Deputy Governor, Salako-Oyedele appreciated ASSU’s support to the state government in its efforts at overcoming the dreaded disease.
While disclosing that the state government has started rigorous enlightenment campaigns at border communities towards preventing escalation of the pandemic, Salako-Oyedele stressed that the current administration in the state would leave no stone unturned towards curtailing the spread of the pandemic.
