COVID-19: NAOSS calls for immediate closure of schools in Ogun

The National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) on Thursday called on the State government to immediately shut down all schools in the state as part of measures to contain the spread of Coronavirus disease in the state.

The students body believed that, for the measures put in place by the state government in preventing the spread of Coronavirus to be more effective, the government as a matter of urgency, must include schools in the ban of gatherings of more than 50 people in public places like social clubs, halls, cinemas, night clubs, restaurants, cafes, and sport arenas.

The call was contained in a statement issued by NAOSS National President,  Gbemileke Ogunrombi and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta the Ogun State capital.

The statement reads, “the students body is unaware of the fact that schools are veritable grounds for the spread of Coronavirus disease, therefore, to avoid a major health crisis in the state, the government must announce the immediate shut down of schools”.

It is our belief that students in the state are at high risk of contacting the deadly Coronavirus disease due to the high population of students in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state.”

To avoid putting our students at risk of contacting the deadly Coronavirus disease, we hereby call on the government of Ogun state to immediately shut all the schools in the state to avert a major health crisis.”

The Ogun state government must take a cue from its Lagos state counterpart who had announce the closure of schools in the state and be more proactive by also closing down schools in the state.”

“NAOSS is also using this medium to call on the government to, as matter of urgency deploy health officers with testing kits to the port of entry into Nigeria from Benin Republic to test people entering into the country for Coronavirus disease”.

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This call is necessitated by the report of the first case of Coronavirus outbreak in Benin Republic, a neighbouring country to Nigeria.

The students body insists that there is need for the State government to be on the alert as result of its closeness to Benin Republic.

To avert a major health crisis in the State, NAOSS urges the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker to as a matter of urgency place hospitals and health centres in border communities in State on the alert and on the look out for patients with symptoms of the disease.

We hereby called on the State Government, through the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to urgently deploy health officers to port of entry to test people coming into the country for Coronavirus.”

“We are not unaware of the fact that Ogun state is the gateway into the country from neighbouring Benin Republic, therefore we are imploring the state to be more proactive in preventing the virus from finding its way into the country.”

We also want to use this medium to call on the traditional rulers, leaders and the entire residents of border communities in the state to also be on the alert and immediately report any suspected case to the appropriate authority.”

The student body commends the State government for its quick response to the first case of Coronavirus in the State, stressing that the case would have escalated if not for the prompt attention the State government gave it.

While urging the border communities to be calm and not panic, NAOSS expresses confidence in the ability of state to fight outbreak of any epidemics.

Source: Vanguard

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