Unizik Readies For Covid-19 As Student Urges FG To Listen To NASU

The Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, is ready to prevent any potential spread of the covid-19 in the institution when students resume on January 18.

Unizik has set up of a committee to ensure observance of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control’s preventive measures in the university community, an indication that the spread would be controlled in the institution.

A post graduate student of the institution, Mr Chukwuyem Othniel Omijie, while expressing optimism that covid-19 would not be a threat in view of measures by the university, however warned the Federal Government to quickly dialogue with the Non-academic Staff Union of Universities(NASU) to prevent another stoppage of academic activities.

He also regretted the impact of the lockdown as well as the ASUU strike, which, according to him, had delayed the completion of his course work.

In his words, “I’m ready for resumption. I am optimistic that the impact of the second wave of the pandemic would be less because a majority of the students are aware of the preventive measures. Again, we are eager to graduate, so anything that will truncate it will be fought to a standstill. I also believe that the federal government had learnt its lessons after the ASUU strike, hence the threat by Non-Academic Staff Union of universities should be taken seriously. It should not be allowed to linger. Let the authorities do the needful.”

THE WHISTLER reports that the management of Unizik, Wednesday, set up a Covid-19 committee to control the transmission of the virus in the university. The dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof Chinyere Okunna, said the measure was to safeguard the university community from the pandemic.

In her words, “With the second and more devastating wave of Covid-19 now sweeping across the world, with infection and mortality rates also dangerously rising in Nigeria, the Covid-19 Committee of Nnamdi Azikiwe University has swung into action to safeguard the university community from the pandemic.

“At its Wednesday’s meeting in the university’s Council/Senate Chambers, it was decided that the committee will intensify its activities in anticipation of the resumption of academic activities.”

According to her, the committee was also mandated to monitor the forthcoming deanship elections in the university to ensure full compliance with all Covid-19 protocols.