The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye Branch, has recently donated water dispensers, liquid soaps and sanitizers to the Staff School of the University.
The donation was part of the Union’s contributions to boost the measures put in place by the school management to prevent pupils and staff from contracting coronavirus.
Presenting the anti-COVID-19 items, the NASU Chairman, Comrade John Rasaki, said the gesture was to support the school following resumption of academic activities after a long break.
It would be recalled that public and private schools, on September 21, reopened in Ogun State for first term of the 2020/2021 session almost six months after they were shut down as part of efforts to check the spread of coronavirus pandemic.
Rasaki, who was represented by the Secretary of the Union, Mrs Olusola Ogunbanwo, handed over the donated materials to the Acting Chairman, OOU Staff School Management Board, Dr Adebambo Oduwole.
“We donated the items just to cushion the effect of the pandemic on our children that resumed to school,” he stated.
“Our pupils have been away from school for a very long period of time due to COVID-19 but we thank God they are back. However, we deemed it fit to come and assist the University management by donating this token to the Board of OOU primary school. We just believe there is a way we can touch lives,” he added.
Apart from the donation, the Union leader noted that NASU had also stepped up advocacy and enlightenment campaign through several social media platforms to sensitize people on the need to check the spread of the virus within and around the University Community.
Responding, Dr Adebambo Oduwole, who is also the University Librarian, commended the donors for their kind gesture, saying it would further enhance the compliance protocols stipulated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“We appreciate your contributions towards eradicating COVID-19 in our school. On behalf of the Chairman, Governing Council, our able Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ganiyu Olatunji Olatunde, we say a very big thank you and promise that the donation would be judiciously used by our pupils and members of staff,” he said.
The acting Board Chairman charged all the staff unions in the University not to rest on their oars in ensuring the total defeat of COVID-19.
He further said, “This is a very kind gesture from NASU and I also want to let you know that this is not the first time they are doing it. Recently, they donated about 40 containers, sanitizers and hand washing soap dispensers to the University as a whole.
So, when I became the Board Acting Chairman, I just called on the NASU Chairman and asked him what the Union could do for the children in the Staff School and he promised that they would find something to do for them. And to my surprise, they have done this for the pupils.
We are glad because part of the NCDC protocol is that pupils must wash hands, use sanitizers and we are following the protocols and these containers, handwashing dispensers and sanitizers would be put to judicious use by the pupils and teachers.”
Speaking on behalf of the Staff School, the Head Teacher, Mr David Odewale, expressed gratitude to NASU for the donation, noting that it would complement the efforts already put in place by the management.
Odewale disclosed that the school classrooms had been rearranged “so that we can space the children and ensure social distancing” in accordance with the requirements of government and regulatory authorities.
He said, “We are really grateful for the items given to us and we promise to make judicious use of them.
There are so many provisions already put in place. The environmental department of the University has assisted us in fumigating the whole compound. Then, we have got infrared thermometers to check the temperature of the pupils as they come in.
We have sanitizers to rob on our palms, we also have soap and running water and we’ve always asked them to wash their hands from time to time. In addition, we have rearranged the classes so that we can space the children and ensure social distancing.
With that and other things we are putting in place, we believe none of our pupils will contract it,” the head teacher added.
