The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero (KSUSTA) branch, on Wednesday donated support materials to the Kebbi State Government towards the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
Presenting the items at the premises of the Primary Healthcare Unit, Birnin Kebbi, the chapter Chairperson, Dr Ibrahim Garba-Wawata, said that the gesture was meant to support the state government’s concerted efforts against the dreaded disease.
“The donation is part of the obligations of academic staff in all Nigerian universities which include teaching, research and community service.
“As governments and nations world-wide are looking into easing the lockdown measure; the union deems it necessary to donate the items as intervention materials to support government in its effort to curb the pandemic.
“The fight against Coronarous shouldn’t be left in hands of the government alone,” Garba-Wawata said.
He commended Gov. Atiku Bugudu and COVID-19 Task Force in the state on proactive and moderate measures taken in consultation with all stakeholders in the state which has yielded positive results and ease activities of citizens.
The union appealed to members of the public to strictly follow the guidelines laid down by the NCDC to ensure prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic in state.
Responding, the Chairman of the State Task Force and Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Ja’afar Muhammad, commended ASUU for the kind gesture extended to the state government.
“The gesture from ASUU is timely and much needed at a time government was considering easing the lockdown measures in the state,” Muhammed said.
The Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Mukhtar Umar-Bunza, commended the efforts of ASUU KSUSTA and called on other sister unions in the university to borrow a leave.
He said that the Kebbi state government had approved N429 million for the payment of Earned Academic Allowance for academic and non-academic staff of the university for the period of 2009–2013.
“Currently, academic staff had been paid off 100 per cent of their claims. I want to encourage the union to do more in other areas of community services to uplift the state and the country at large,” the commissioner said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the union donated face masks and hand sanitisers to the university community, General Hospital, and palaces of royal fathers in Aliero town. (NAN)
