By Timothy Alao, Osogbo
The Osun State Ministry of Water Resources and Energy has embarked on a massive public sensitisation tour across the nooks and crannies of the state against the deadly Coronavirus.
The enlightenment advocacy was hinged on the need for the residents to imbibe the culture of basic personal hygiene and social distancing to curtail the spread of the pandemic.
The State Commissioner for Water Resources and Energy, Dr. Amidu Tadese Raheem and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Water Resources and Energy, Engr. Adeniran Felix Ibitoye, who led the campaign said the action was taken in furtherance of the government’s directive for the people to stay safe.
Addressing some residents during the campaign exercise, Raheem maintained that the public advocacy became necessary in view of the devastating nature of the pandemic, which had claimed the lives of many people across the globe.
He appealed to the residents particularly market women and men to adhere to the self-hygienic rules as the guaranteed path to healthy living.
The Commissioner said: “We are out to let our people know the importance of self-hygiene. we want to educate them further on the need to imbibe the spirit of regular hands washing as a way to prevent themselves against any disease.
“As we all know, the pandemic Coronavirus has been killing people across the globe, and as such, we are moving round the state, community to community, market to market to sensitise our people on what is expected of them to prevent the scourge.
“As a government, we have taken proactive measures to prevent the spread of the disease in our state, and this campaign is to further complement the government’s efforts at promoting quality health for the citizens.
“We shall continue to educate our people to live healthy, we will not rest on our oars and we will continue to do the needful particularly at this critical period that the entire world is being ravaged by the pandemic.
“The essence of this campaign particularly in the market is to educate our people to avoid being in a crowd or social gathering because findings had revealed that the disease spread faster where there is crowd of people or any place where people gather in large numbers.
“Investigation had revealed that market places are veritable sources where people can contaminate the disease, and as such, we must guard against this by educating our people to avoid any form of gathering,” he added.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Water Resources and Energy, Engr. Ibitoye, said the public advocacy exercise against the spread of the disease would further expose the residents to what they need to know on the dangers posed by Coronavirus.
He commended the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for taking proactive steps against the spread of the pandemic disease by putting in place necessary committees.
While assuring the residents of government’s continued support to healthy living in the state, Ibitoye said the administration was determined to promote good health of its people.
“We are moving round the market places to sensitise our people to stay safe and healthy. This sensitisation exercise has also exposed our people to what they needed to do to keep healthy.
“We have exposed them to cultivate the habit of regular hands washing as cleanliness next to godliness”, he added.
Addressing the people at some of the markets visited, the Iyaloja General of the state, Alhaja Awawu Oyebamiji Asindemade, tasked the heads of the various markets to champion the campaign against the spread of the pandemic.
She implored the market women and men to adhere to the basic self-hygiene tips.
