The Secretary to Delta State Government (SSG), Mr Chiedu Ebie has assured that the Government of Delta State would engage the services of NYSC to mass produce face masks for the State in view of the State’s drive to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.
He made this statement while receiving face masks and hand sanitizers produced by corps members serving in the State and donated to the State Government as part of their support towards the fight against Covid-19.
According to the SSG, “We are indeed proud of the NYSC for the initiative taken to produce these face masks and hand sanitizers. Before now people didn’t value the importance of face masks or rather, they had different notions about its use, effectiveness and safety.
” But the face masks have proven its capacity to play important role in the prevention of the Coronavirus pandemic.
“While we must not undermine the preventive capacity of the hand sanitizers too, it is however, more effective to use soap and water to wash one’s hands thoroughly for about 20 seconds. It’s only when there is no soap and water around to wash one’s hands that hand sanitizer can become useful”, he said.
While commending the corps members for their innovative skills, the Secretary hinted that the State Government had equally commenced a mass production of face masks to be distributed to Deltans.
He therefore, assured the NYSC of the State’s readiness to partner and collaborate with it by engaging the corps members to assist in mass producing these face masks.
Ebie reiterated that the State had had three confirmed cases of this Covid-19 with one fatality, adding that it was no longer rumour that the dreaded disease was in town.
The lawyer turned politician further advised that Deltans and Nigerians by extension, should adhere strictly to guidelines on precautionary measures, maintaining that only by staying at home, washing of one’s hands and wearing of face masks would the spread of the virus be effectively managed and curtailed.
Earlier, the State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs. Olutayo Samuel had lauded the State Government for its proactiveness in the fight against Covid-19, stressing that the corps members were motivated to support in their own little way.
Off course, she gave the credit to the Director General of the Scheme, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim whom she said gave the directive for corps members to support the effort of Government at various State levels in fighting Covid-19.
Samuel however, underscored the importance of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme (SAED), created in 2012 to train corps members in various trades that would be of benefit to them after service without being over dependent on white collar jobs.
Her words, “We are proud of these corps members for their innovations. At short notice we were able to bring them back on Camp for these productions.
“It was a painstaking production process as apart from mobilizing resources for this, they had to pass through the eye of the needle to procure materials needed for the production in an atmosphere of strict lockdown.
“I want to assure you that the hand sanitizers you are being presented with are of WHO’s standard, including the face masks which are 100 percent cotton and have the capacity to prevent 99 percent of any micro organism that could enter the body through the nose or mouth”, Samuel explained.
By Patrick Ochei
