COVID - 19: Ogun Students Call For Immediate Closure Of All Schools

NAOSS National President, Ogunrombi Gbemileke

Adenike Sanusi

ABEOKUTA - The National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) has called on the Ogun State Government to close all public and private schools in the state to forestall the spread of the deadly widespread disease, Coronavirus. 

The students body equally called on the state 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.

The body said the call became imperative following the report of the first case of Coronavirus outbreak in Benin Republic, a neighbouring country to Ogun state border.

The students in a statement signed by its National President, Ogunrombi Gbemileke insisted that there is need for the State government to be on the alert as result of its closeness to Benin Republic.

The NAOSS President urged the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker to 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 commended 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 expressed confidence in the ability of state to fight outbreak of any epidemic.