Lockdown: ASUU backs Udom, distributes sanitizers to A’Ibom residents

The University of Uyo branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has presented sanitary materials to the Akwa Ibom state government in support of the lockdown in the state to prevent the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

Presenting hand sanitizers to the Akwa Ibom state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, in his office on Wednesday, Chairman of University of Uyo branch of ASUU, Dr. Happiness Uduk, said the kind gesture was in response to the directive from the national president of the union.

The union also assisted the state government to translate sensitization campaign materials against the spread of the virus into local languages in the state to help local folks understand the campaign.

The local languages include Annang, Ibibio, Ekid, Oron and others.

According to her, with the translation of the sensitization materials into local dialects, the citizens would readily understand, adhere to them and adopt to government’s directive on the lockdown order.

The ASUU chairman observed that being a responsible union, it was able to dole out the items not minding the backlog of unpaid salaries to it’s members.

She said the materials had already been distributed to some local government councils in the state.

“Although, the federal government has not paid us for some months now, we still have to show concern about the plight of our citizens that is why we decided to bring in these items.

“Our national body has asked us as branches all over the federation to try to assist the government of the states where our universities are situated in one way or the other in these tough times.

“ASUU is a very sensitive organization; we had to identify with the plight of the masses, so despite all we are passing though, we thought we should support the efforts of government in fighting the pandemic.

“What we did is try to translate the campaign materials into our local dialect and pidgin English, so that people at the grassroot can really understand what is happening the world over as it affects us in Nigeria and by extension Akwa Ibom state,” she said.

Responding, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, appreciated the National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, for supporting the state government, saying that, as at the moment Akwa Ibom state has not receive any support from the federal government in tackling the pandemic.

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He explained that the state has put necessary facilities in place so as to check the spread of the disease in the state, expressing the hope that when the chips are down the state would have cause to smile.

He disclosed that five cases earlier tested positive in the state are responding well to treatment as the state was awaiting reconfirmation tests from the National Centre for Disease Control( NCDC) though the patients were still being held at the state isolation facility under the close watch of medical professionals.

“So far, there has been no negative health report concerning any of them. None of them has so far completed the 14 -day follow up and none of them has escaped from constant observation,” he said.