The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has blamed president Muhammadu Buhari for the spread of Coronavirus epidemic in Nigeria, cautioning that citizens have become vulnerable in the absence of adequate protection.

It said the failure of the government to enforce a total lockdown of
land borders and airspace the Coronavirus was transported to Nigeria.

The Benin Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Fred Esumeh disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists in Benin.

The Zone comprises University of Benin (UNIBEN); Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma; Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA); Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSETECH); Delta State University, Abraka (DELSU) and the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE).

“Indeed, our Union frowns seriously at the way the federal government is also handling the issue of Covid-19 pandemic. By now, we should have had a total lockdown when the cases were just emerging in the Country such that our borders will be completely manned to ensure that they do not have any other infected case(s) and while we go within the Country through contact tracing to mop up the existing cases of Covid-19” he said.

The University don stated that the federal government intervention funds running into trillions of Naira to curb the spread of Covid-19 does not represent a true situation situation of the facilities at the few isolation and testing Centres in Nigeria.

“Secondly, we are feeling that our government only make pronouncement of money, a certain trillion of money has been earmarked to combat the Coronavirus pandemic in the Country. But, when you visit hospitals, you hardly find a dedicated isolation centre for our patients that are suffering from Covid-19 pandemic. What are the available equipment for testing for Covid-19? and so on.

“At the moment, the best that we can say is that the testing Centres are here one in Edo State at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, ISTH, another in Lagos State and then in Abuja.

“Something that we know has a very transmission rate, at the moment, we are informed by NCDC that the cases have reached over 65…By the time the disease goes to other States, what are the provisions for testing and to isolate these patients. These are questions we need to raise.

“We wish to stress that even the Covid-19 intervention or interlude, we are hoping that government will use the period to even address the outstanding issues it has with ASUU.

“We will be much happier that after after Covid-19 pandemic when our students are ready to come back to the Campus, government must have accede to the demands of the Union and that lecturers have resumed their work so that the students can return back to Campuses”, he said.

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