Gbenro Adesina
The Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State Chapter, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye has advised Governor Oluseyi Makinde of Oyo State to be more vigorous and systematic in the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic in the state in order to curtail the spread of the disease.
Abass-Aleshinloye further advised that, “This time calls for critical thinking to mobilise the citizens, particularly at the grassroots into action”.
The chairman, who pointed out that the virus was not an urban based pandemic alone said, “We appealed to Mr. Governor to activate grassroots medical and information machinery for prevention and identification of cases at the local government level where the vast majority of our people live but with many of them bringing their farm products to urban markets to sell and earn income. This is one of the ways for contact, infection and transmission of the disease from urban to rural, and from rural to rural areas”.
“The closeness of Oyo State to Lagos State with the highest number of index cases so far, where Oyo State traders and grassroots farmers engage in business makes the need to focus on the people at the grassroots at this time more important than before” he stated.
He concluded, “Meanwhile, there is also a need for the government to make test kits and other testing materials available at the grassroots level. This is, because, it is only the elites, the well-to-do people and celebrities in the society that are having access to these materials. As elected representatives of the people in 68 LGS and LCDAs, with 660 Councilors (in all the wards) at the grassroots in Oyo State, ALGON is ready to cooperate with the state government in mobilising our people in the rural and semi-urban areas to be part of this initiative of grassroots focus against the pandemic. We wish to appeal to our people not to see covid-19 as urban and elitist pandemic. Please obey all the directives and medical advices from the government and its medical team. Play safe and be coronavirus free.
