COVID-19: Egba Economic Group Cautions OGSG On Reopening Of Schools, Fumes At Low Compliance Of Guidelines

Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji

ABEOKUTA - A leading socio-economic group in Ogun state, Egba Economic Summit (EES) has advised the state government on the gradual ease of reopening of schools, insisting that the opening of learning institutions in the state should be methodical. 

The group said only primary schools and secondary school students who are due to write their final examinations are to be allowed to return to school. 

EES stated this on Monday at a press conference jointly addressed by its President, Mr. Kehinde Sogunle, FCA and the Chairman, Economic Development Directorate, Chief Shina Luwoye, FCA in Abeokuta. 

The group maintained that, JSS3 and SS3 students who were due for their final examinations are to be allowed to resume schools, while higher institutions should be advised to go online for the end of their respective academic session. 

They said researches have shown that, children are less vulnerable to the pandemic, hence, the need to allow the pupils return to school amidst strict monitoring across all primary schools in the state. 

Fielding questions from journalists, Chief Luwoye who is also the Vice President explained that, as government move further on the ease of lockdown on religious organizations and learning institutions, Monitoring and Enforcement Unit should be set up at the state and local government levels involving transport unions, market leaders, Trade Unions, the Police, Civil societies and responsible public officials. 

He said this committee should be given a mandate to close down any religious places, market or high traffic economic activities that are non-compliant. 

"There should be sequential ease of the lockdown for schools. Opening of schools should be methodical. Only students in JSS3 and SS3 who are exam bound are to be allowed to write their exams, while the primary school pupils are also advised to resume schools but with strict monitoring of those kids.

EES President, Kehinde Sogunle

"We want to advice the government to encourage all higher institutions of learning in the state to go on online learning for the remainder of their session. Our schools should be digitalized and all public schools should be on the internet."

Also speaking, the President of the group, Mr. Kehinde Sogunle who flays the federal government for its lip service to incentives and food palliatives to school children in the state, frowned at the poor state of the Isolation centre at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta. 

Sogunle noted that, the only two units functional ventilator, one unit dysfunctional Echo-cardiograph machine and very poor intensive care unit (ICU) which looks more like a glorified First Aid room or High Dependency Unit are unfit for a supposedly world class tertiary health institution. 

He however, expressed displeasure over non-compliance to the public advisory note and guidelines of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) which led to the deteriorating and regrettable dismal level of the spread of the pandemic. 

He stressed further that, investigation embarked upon by the Egba group shown that, general use of face masks and hand washing have dropped significantly and now almost nonexistent.

Sogunle therefore, advocated for regional approach in the implementation of covid-19 movement restrictions in the south west states, especially Oyo, Ogun and Lagos states. 

He said the economy of the three states have been hampered by the inconsistent movement restrictions and has greatly promoted ease of spread of the pandemic.

He urged the state governors of the three states to allow easy vehicular interstate movements for economic and health reasons.