COVID-19: Group Warns Southwest Governments Not To Play Politics With The Pandemic, Calls For Grassroots Awareness

A Yoruba group, Oodua Youth Coalition(OYC), has cautioned state governments across the Southwest of Nigeria, not to joke with the welfare, well-being, health and safety of the people in the land.

OYC, rising from an emergency meeting conveyed as a result of the new, suspected cases in Lagos, Ekiti and Ondo in Ibadan, Oyo State, demands that the governors, who are expected to take charge of the happenings in their respective states, must protect their citizens from the infiltration of the deadly virus into their states. The group asks that people are citizens first before becoming political party members and apologists.

The statement, signed by the National President, Oluyi Akintade 'Tayo and Oluwagbenga Ajongbolo, the National Publicity Secretary, also urges the state governments to deepen the awareness programs on Coronavirus into the hinterlands.

'We are concerned that the rural dwellers, who mostly do not have access to television and social media, are denied information on the pandemic. The state governments must do all to take the messages on cautionary and preventive measures to those in the hinterlands, who make up a large proportion of the population.'

'We note too that these rural dwellers may not have easier access to early treatment in case of any outbreak. The governments are advised to translate the messages to Yoruba and other local languages in the land and increase the awareness through community heads, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups and community based associations and organizations.'

The group is confident these times of crises shall pass and the pandemic would be a thing of the past.