The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State Chapter has advised Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde to review the idea of reopening schools in the state, saying the idea is counter productive.
Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, the chairman of the embattled association stated this in a statement released on Sunday, in Ibadan.
He said reopening of schools may be the wish of many parents, guardians, teachers and students because of the long closure and academic time loss due to the outbreak of COVID-19, but it said safety of the pupils should be of utmost importance now.
“The long closure of schools and academic time loss could have been a reason the governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, was eager to reopen schools, especially for primary six, JSS3 and SS3 students on June 29, 2020 for them to prepare for their examinations.
“On the face of it, the governor’s action looks good and responsive to the people’s wish and anxiety. But we hasten to add that wishes and anxiety need to be measured carefully against coordinated verifiable medical and scientific deductions on public health emergency like in the case of COVID-19 pandemic, with its uncertainty, and projection at finding a cure for the global disease.
“As the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has severally declared, the nation is yet to flatten the curve and we are now at the increasing stage of community transmission of the disease.
“The sudden increase in cases of COVID-19 in Oyo State and many other states coupled with high casualty figures is a pointer to the validation of the NCDC position. Hence, the state government should apply great caution in rushing to reopen the schools.
“As it is now, Oyo State COVID-19 random testing capacity is still very low relative to its huge population and the jump in reported cases of COVID-19 creates more anxiety than the eagerness to be back to school, ” Abass-Aleshinloye said.
The association called for a review of the governor’s order on schools reopening, saying “life comes before certificate, only the living graduate.”
According to him, “Taking the risk of school reopening without 100 percent (not less because they are young) medical assurance of protection and safety of lives of our pupils may be counter productive.”
He added: “Your Excellency, please tarry a bit; May Oyo State not lose any of our pupils, our future, to COVID-19 and may we not witness another round of upsurge of the disease.”
Abass-Aleshinloye has also reacted to the extension of tenure granted to the caretaker chairmen of the 33 local government areas and 35 local council development areas by the Oyo State House of Assembly.
The ALGON chairman said the decision of Governor Seyi Makinde to renew the tenure of the “illegal caretaker committees he unleashed on the councils” in the state despite a subsisting case the governor filed at the Appeal Court is a continuous affront to rule of law, judicial authority and threat to democratic governance.
“Executive lawlessness has become literally an epidemic in the pacesetter state and this lawlessness is a daily ritual and acceptable norm of governance now, hence the increase in insecurity and violence in the state. Where rule of law is sacrificed and the court is treated with contempt, anarchy reigns supreme,” he said.
Abass-Aleshinloye prayed that the peace and understanding that the state enjoyed in the past will not be totally sacrificed due to “lawlessness and crude arrogance of the governor and his desperate cheerleaders.”
