COVID-19: Ekiti group distributes palliatives, urges Fayemi to secure borders

A socio-cultural group, the Golden Elites Club, has urged Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state to secure the state’s borders in order to curtail the spread of the COVID-19.

National President of the Ikere-Ekiti-based group, Prof. Tayo Ajayi, gave the admonition while donating food items to 500 widows, orphans and other vulnerable persons to reduce the effect of the lockdown in the state.

The donation took place at Ikere-Ekiti in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti state.

Ajayi, who was represented by the Secretary of the club, Prof. Joseph Aruleba, said the group was worried by the death of a health worker in Ekiti on Wednesday owing to complications from COVID-19.

“We know Ekiti state could have been safe if not for those that are sneaking into the state through the borders. The woman who died of COVID-19 was said to have sneaked into Ekiti from Lagos.

“Most disturbing was the fact that the doctor who treated her in the hospital got infected. You can see that we are all endangered.

“The government must work hard on how to handle and effectively secure our borders,” he said.

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Ajayi said that his group decided to give out palliatives to the people so that they can comply with the government’s stay-at-home directive.

“We are disturbed by the coronavirus situation, people are hungry and we understand that an hungry man may likely defy the stay-at-home order.

“This is the reason we are intervening with this gesture. We know people are suffering and the best way to keep them at home is to distribute food to them to save them from contracting the scourge,” he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Afolabi Aluko, who spoke on behalf of others, applauded the group for the gesture.

Aluko said the challenge of COVID-19 requires concerted efforts, adding that government alone cannot handle the situation.

He called on well-meaning individuals, corporate organisations and civil society groups to complement the efforts of the government in order to tackle hunger in Ekiti state during the lockdown.