The Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Thursday distributed over one thousand Hand Sanitisers produced by the LAUTECH committee of Research, Innovation and Development.
The Sanitisers which were produced in different sizes were given to the Osun State COVID-19 task force, the palace of Soun of Ogbomoso, LAUTECH Teaching hospital, Bowen Teaching hospital, State Hospital, Road Safety and Security agents.
Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, the National President of the Union represented by the Ibadan Zonal Coordinator, Professor Ade Adejumo stated that Nigeria’s greatness lies in funding Education to tackle all her problems.
He noted that ventilators and protective kits can be produced in Nigeria if government has the right attitude to funding research and Science and technology.
Ogunyemi lamented that while Governments around the world are pumping monies into researching and development of vaccines, the Nigerian Government has not been forthcoming in that direction.
He maintained that the struggle by the Union is to ensure that Nigerian scientists and researchers have the best infrastructures and funding to compete globally and attend to problems confronting the nation.
The ASUU President thanked Medical consultants, Virologists and other frontline workers who are risking their lives to halt the spread of COVID-19 and treat those infected.
Professor Ogunyemi stated that it is imperative that the Government listen to the clarion call by the Union and fund Education and Health Massively as COVID-19 has shown political elites that they are not VIPs to it.
He said, “Our union, as a community of the nation’s intelligentsia is concerned about the fate and survival of the the helpless Nigerians who have been the constant victims of mindless neglect by successive governments of our nation.
“As a socially responsible union, we will continue to be on the side of the people through our various interventions, both intellectual and material. Even when those who find themselves in charge of our nation’s affairs continue to treat the masses as secondary, we shall not abandon our people, even when the people have been crudely programmed and manipulated to misunderstand our altruistic and patriotic struggles, we remain committed to the ideals of true service to the nation.
“ASUU LAUTECH branch has, through the LAUTECH COMMITTEE ON RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (LAUCRID) produced Hand sanitisers for distribution to the members of the public. Such efforts are being replicated in other branches of our union nationwide. It is hoped that the modest efforts will achieve the desired goal of keeping our people safe in the face of the COVID-19 challenge”, he said.
