Group warns against over exaggeration of Coronavirus in Nigeria -As NUC orders closure of all universities nationwide

          By Our Correspondent

    A group under the aegis of Save Nigeria for Economic Woes Corruption and Hardship (SNEWCH)  has warned against over exaggeration of the coronavirus in the country, expressing fear that if the trend is not immediately check  it may lead to economic hardship, hunger  and jeopardize the nation’s economy.

President Buhari

    The group added that the scenario if allowed to continue it may also lead to the closure of the markets, the transport sector, offices and all gathering in the country as well as movement of goods and service and create unbearable hardship to the people, particularly the less privilege in society.

    This, it stated emphatically that since schools and tertiary institutions were ordered to close down as  measures to curtail the spread of the disease through contact, the markets, the transport sector and gatherings are major areas where people meet daily in great numbers.

    He said Government should take active measures to proffer solutions in the two states the disease  were allegedly detected and stop raising alarm as if the whole country is affected by the disease thus creating an opportunities for some persons to benefit in the system and cause untold hardship on the people.

    The group in a press statement issued in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa state by it Coordinator , Comrade Mac-Inegba Robinson condemned in its entirety the way and manner the electronic and the social media is exaggerating the coronavirus disease over the 13 cases allegedly detected  as if the spread is all over the country.

  The organization allayed the fear saying that the disease will die a natural death henceforth in Nigeria.

   It would be recalled that as a result of the coronavirus the National Universities Commission (NUC) on Friday ordered the closure of all universities in Nigeria to prevent further spread of coronavirus.

   “As part of the measures to contain and prevent the spread of the coronavirus (covid-19) throughout the country, approval has been granted for the closure of all schools,” NUC’s deputy executive secretary Suleiman-Ramon Yusuf said in a circular.

   Yusuf said the school closure will commence from Monday, March 23, 2020, and will last for a period of one month.

   The Nigerian Government on Thursday, March 19, 2020, ordered the closure of all the 104 Unity Schools in the country from Thursday, March 26, 2020, to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu in a statement by the ministry’s spokesman Ben Goong said all the principals of the Unity Colleges should fast track the on-going second term examinations and close shop until further notice.

    Adamu said the management of all the Unity Colleges should immediately activate the necessary emergency procedures and processes such as the provision of alcohol-based sanitizers and handwashing facilities among others.

    He said that students should strictly adhere to the principles and best practices of good hygiene.

Adamu also directed the Principals to immediately report any suspicious case to the nearest health authorities, emphasising that nothing should be taken for granted at this delicate time of the global pandemic.

    Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Enugu, Delta, Ekiti, Rivers and other states have also ordered a temporary closure of schools for the same reason.

Nigeria’s cases of coronavirus rose to 12 on Thursday, March 19, 2020, after four new cases were confirmed by Lagos State health commissioner Akin Abayomi.