The Oyo State chapter of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) has called on the State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde and his Special Assistant on Tourism, Mr. Taiwo Adebisi, popularly known as Taye Currency to subject themselves to Coronavirus (COVID-19) test to ascertain their status.
The party argued that the tests were relevant against the backdrop of reports that Mr. Adebisi allegedly defied the 14-day self-isolation recommended by the Nigeria Centre for Diseases and Control (NCDC) for returnees from countries with widespread cases of the COVID-19 by attending and performing, being a fuji musician at a political rally organized by the PDP in Ibadan the Oyo state capital.
SPN in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Friday by its State Secretary, Mr. Ayodeji Adigun also appealed to Makinde to ensure that facilities for mass testing and treatment be made available in the 33 LGA while hotels and unoccupied houses across the State must be converted to self-isolation centres.
The party also demanded an extension of the two weeks’ holiday for civil servants to workers in private sectors with provision of stipends for other citizens who are not salary earners.
The party said, “Therefore, given the level of interaction that is expected to have taken place between Mr Taye currency and the Governor, being his principal and the fact that the Governor also reportedly hosted Mr David Adeleke, an hip-pop musician, popularly known as Davido who is also allegedly a returnee from the UK and currently in a self-isolation after he performed at a show attended by hundreds of youths in Ibadan, we strongly hope that the Governor will take this suggestion so seriously.
“We condemn the kind of double standard and insincerity demonstrated by the State government towards its order over the effort to curtail the spread of the virus. This has no doubt given a credence to the concern and fear recently expressed by the, Nigeria Union of Journalist, NUJ in a press statement where a doubt was cast over the readiness of the Governor and the government to give all it takes to curtail the growing spread of the virus in the state. This is asides other issues like unpleasant state of the isolation centres, lack of test kit and inadequate medical consumables and staff strength.
“Moreover, we are worried that the health and lives of many youths might have been imperilled by the irresponsible conduct of Davido and Taye Currency, who were supposed to be in a self-isolation, unfortunately with the obvious endorsement of the state governor went ahead to organize shows at different occasions.
“With these developments we strongly believe that what is more important at this stage, in order to curtail the uncontrollable spread of the virus in the state is to ensure that adequate facilities for effective conduct of mass testing are provided and accessible in all the 33 local government across the state. This will enable quick detection, isolation and subsequent treatment of any infected person.
“We also call for upgrade of all the general hospitals across the state with necessary equipment and recruitment of more health workers provided with adequate protective gear and special allowances in order to ensure effective handling of patients of Covid-19 including critical cases. SPN also demand an acquisition of some hotels and unoccupied houses for the use of those with no capacity for self-isolation as well as provision of water in every community to aid hand washing and distribution of hand sanitizer to ordinary masses
“We welcome the stay at home order by the state Government including the two weeks holiday for civil servants in order to curtail the spread of the virus. However, we demand that such a directive must also be extended to private sector without loss of jobs and pay for workers. We also demand a weekly payment of stipends of N10, 000 for every household of other categories of working people who are not salary earners in the state. We strongly believe that all these measures are necessary to ensure a full compliance with the stay at home order”.
