‘We will support Covid-19 fight despite strike’

From Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

 

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri Zone, has donated medical items to the Anambra State Government to support the fight against COVID-19.

The body made the presentation of cartons of sanitisers and face masks at the Government House, Awka through a delegation from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) Awka and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli.

Presenting the items, the Chairman, ASUU-NAU chapter, Comrade Steve Ufoaroh said the union decided to identify with the government in the fight regardless its current industrial action.

He said the gesture was part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the union to ensure the state remained safe from the pandemic.

He said: “Even though we are presently on strike as a result of non payment of salaries, we still want to show our patrotism as academics to the ongoing fight against Covid-19.

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“We chose to donate these items through the government to ensure wider reach.”

According to Ufoaroh, the items donated were not purchased, but produced by members of the union, adding that members could embark on research to finding solution to the dreaded coronavirus vaccine if properly funded.

Receiving the items on behalf of the government, Secretary to the state government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu expressed appreciation to the union towards assisting the state in its preparedness to fight the scourge.

He said the gesture was more significant in view of the present state of the union, assuring that the items would be deployed appropriately through the Ministry of Health.