COVID-19: NANS, NGO urge Plateau to roll out palliative for communities

The Plateau state chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and a non-governmental organization, Plateau Youth and Community Development Volunteers (PLAYCODEV) have called on the state government to roll out its palliative measures to cushion effects of coronavirus in the state.

Mr. Nanven Haruna, executive director of PLAYCODEV and Mr. Barry Gabriel, chairman of NANS Joint Campus Committee (JCC) in Plateau state gave the advice in a joint statement on Thursday in Jos.

The statement commended the state government for the safety measures put in place, adding that more needed to be done to ameliorate the looming hunger in rural communities

It noted that further delay in rolling out its palliatives would only inflict more pains and agony on the people, particularly rural dwellers

“It is no news that the leadership of the state is not resting on its oars in this fight against the novel coronavirus, for which we commend them alongside our frontline health workers, security personnel and philantropists.

“It has become a growing concern to the youth and students in the state the urgent need for palliatives to be injected into our communities to help cushion the impact of the lockdown of the state as part of the strategies in containing the spread of the virus.

“This is why the leadership of NANS in Plateau and Plateau Youth (PLAYCODEV) are collaborating to ensure the necessary steps are taken toward protecting our communities.

“So, we call on the state government to roll out its palliative as soon as practicable because the effects of lockdown is bitting harder and telling on the people already,” the two groups said

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The groups also called on spirited individuals, groups, and organisations to reach out to the vulnerable in their communities, adding that such gesture would go a long way in ameliorating their sufferings.

They called on the government to involve the youths, charity organisations and NGOs in distributing the palliatives, adding that it would ensure accountability and transparency in the process.

They called on security agencies to intensify efforts in safeguarding lives and property of citizens during the lockdown, adding that hoodlums would want to use the lockdown period to steal from innocent citizens.