National Association Of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS) has appealed to Kogi state government to lift the lockdown of the state-owned higher institutions which was done in order prevent the spread of Covid-19 into the state.
The state’s students apex body made the appeal during a visit to the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Wemi Jones.
The Vice President of NAKOSS, Comrade Joseph Solomon Babatunde, who represented the President, stated the student body is ready to support the state government in the fight against Covid-19.
“We want to appreciate Governor Yahaya Bello on the giant steps taken so far to ensure the pandemic never gained entrance into the State. We also commend the Governor for taking the interest of Kogi masses as priority over the general interest of ‘commercialised’ Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is on record that Kogi has a good history in managing pandemic and also part of the States in Nigeria to first take appropriate measures in preventing and containing the spread of the virus.
“Governor Yahaya Bello swung into action immediately, ensuring sensitization of the people on good hygienic practices aside locking down the state according to world standards and protocols of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and World Health Organization (WHO).
“As a students’ body, we tend to be more interested in the lockdown of our state owned higher institutions. We understand the need for the lockdown, we urge the Governor to look into the higher institutions’ lockdown, in consideration of the relief of all lockdown across the country, to please relax the ban on our schools to ease and quicken the learning of our students.
“Also, we wish to visit the isolation centre to show to the whole world that Kogi is truly free from Covid-19 despite our readiness as a state to curb any form of eventuality,” he said.
Presidents of the students union government and NAKOSS in the Federal University Lokoja, Ibikunle Olajide and Olorunmagba Kehinde respectively, tasked the state government to provide E-learning facilities for students.
The Commissioner, in his response, applauded all the requests made by NAKOSS. He commended them for having the interest of the entire students and Kogi state at heart.
Jones added that in as much as Kogi state is Covid-19 free, the state government has put in place different precautionary measures which include among other things, closing down of the schools.
He said the state will follow due process in line with the already established protocols of the Federal Government.
On E-learning facilities, the Commissioner assured the students that the government is effecting plans to launch the facilities.
