COVID-19: ASUU Presents Sensitisation Materials To A’Ibom Govt

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Uyo chapter, has presented sensitisation materials to the Akwa Ibom State Government to enlighten the residents on COVID-19.
The ASUU Chairperson, Dr Happiness Uduk, presented the materials to the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong, yesterday in Uyo.
Uduk said that the gesture was in response to the directive from the National President of ASUU that the union should contribute its quota towards containing the spread of the virus.
She said that the materials had been translated into Ibibio, Annang, Oro, Ekid and other dialects for people to understand the directives on the lockdown.
The chairperson said that apart from the printed materials, ASUU also presented 300 liters of hand sanitisers and more than 100 pieces of face masks.
She noted that ASUU, as a responsible organization, was doing that even though its members had not got their salaries for months now.
“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 was why we decided to bring in these items.
“Our national body has asked 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 organisation; we have to identify with the plights of the masses. So, in spite of all we are passing through, we thought we should support the efforts of government in fighting the pandemic.
“What we did was try to translate the materials into our local dialects and pidgin English so that people at the grassroots can really understand what is happening world over as it affects us in Nigeria and by extension, Akwa Ibom State,” Uduk said.
In his remarks, Dr Aniekan Brown, Chairperson, Calabar zone of ASUU, comprising seven universities, lauded the Akwa Ibom State government for the steps it had taken to control the spread of the virus in the state.
Brown noted that the outbreak of the pandemic had exposed the poor health facilities in the country, as attested to by the Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF) recently.
Responding, Ukpong commended ASUU for supporting the state government.
The commissioner said that the state government had yet to receive support from the Federal Government in tackling the pandemic.
Ukpong said that the government had put necessary facilities in place to curb the spread of the virus in the state.
The commissioner said that the five cases that tested positive in the state were responding to treatment and awaiting reconfirmation tests.
According to him, they are held in the state isolation facility under the close watch of medical professionals.