The National Association of Nigerian Students on Monday said the failure of the government to provide basic needs for Nigerians during the total shutdown will truncate and render futile the efforts and measures the government is putting in place to prevent the spread of the virus.
The students body raised concern that there might be spread of the pandemic disease during the close down because the masses did not have access to basic needs.
The National Public Relation Officer of NANS, Azeez Adeyemi said this in a statement in Abeokuta.
Adeyemi maintained that the closing down of Lagos and Ogun states alongside the Federal Capital Territory without providing basic needs to the masses showed that the Federal government is not sensitive to the plight of Nigerians.
Adeyemi lamented that it would be difficult for an average Nigerian to survive during the period of shut down if the government did not come to their aids.
The students body insisted that it is not enough for the government to order the people to stay at home without providing them means of survival.
Adeyemi stressed that the inability for the government to provide basic needs like food and stipends that could alleviate the sufferings of the people during this period has further proven the ”insensitivity of the government to the plights of the people.”
He maintained that there is a need for the government to provide relief materials such as food stuffs and a stipends that will help the people survive during the stay at home order.
He added that the government should also provide protective gears such as hand gloves, nose cover, hand sanitisers to all Nigerians to allow them protect themselves from contracting the virus.
He said, “the government must wake to its duty of providing adequate welfarism for the people.
“The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has described the total lockdown of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun States with adequate provisions for the people as the highest form of the government’s insensitivity to Nigerians plights.
“The students’ body therefore call on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency put measures in place to cushion the effect of the lockdown.
“While commending the Federal Government on the move, NANS strongly believes that it is not enough for the government to order the people to stay at home without providing them means of survival. The government must wake to its duty of providing adequate welfarism for the people.
“Not providing the basic things, such as food and stipends that could alleviate the sufferings of the people even as they remain in their homes has further proven the insensitivity of the government to the plights of the people.
“For a government that is serious with the fight against the spread of Coronavirus, it is our belief that the Federal Government should provide the necessary relief materials such as food stuffs and a stipends that will help the people survive this trying time.
“We believe that the government should also immediately provide protective gears such as hand gloves, nose cover, hand sanitisers to all Nigerians to allow them protect themselves from contracting the virus.
“The failure of the government to provide these things to the people will not only contribute to the spread of the virus, but also truncate and render futile the efforts and measures the government is putting in place to prevent the spread of the virus.”
He added, “an average Nigerian, even while working can hardly provide for himself and his family not to talk of when he is now asked to stay at home for the next 14 days without adequate provision of basic necessities.
“We advise the Federal Government to borrow a leaf from other countries like US, China, UK and Italy and show more concern about the lives of the people.”
