We’re Paid N400 Allowance Daily, Given No Protective Gears’

-Confession from Ejigbo Isolation centre

If reports from different parts of the country is anything to go by, then Nigeria is far from effective modalities needed to checkmate the coronavirus pandemic.

A recent report in the Nigerian Tribune testifies to this assertion,a policemen guarding the Ejigbo isolation centre in Osun State have revealed that they receive N1, 000 allowance for three days.

They spoke about generally poor welfare conditions for the risky assignment. and lack of protective gears for the discharge of their duties.

The report noted a policeman speaking on behalf of others numbering about 80, and telling the Osun State deputy governor, Mr. Benedict Alabi, that they received N1,000 for the past three days after resuming duties in the isolation centre and were not given any food.

He said that they had not been given nose masks, hand gloves and other protective gears, saying with the peculiarities of the environment in the isolation centre, the provision of protective materials was critical for their health.

However, the deputy governor, who also doubles as the chairman, COVID-19 Taskforce Committee in the state, was able to rise to the occasion, in the manner in which he reassured that all their complaints would be looked into. .

Alabi while speaking to journalists at the isolation centre in Ejigbo, “there is a mix-up we are trying to sort out in the laboratory and another state which I won’t mention now. None of the Cote d’Ivoire returnees that tested positive is missing, they are all in the isolation centre.

“All those who came into the state, we profiled them by getting their phone numbers, addresses and that of their next of kin. Some did not believe the test we did which is the reason we have security personnel around them.

“We are trying our best to see that we are fully prepared in Osun State and that is all the effort we are making. All the index cases we have in the state are in the isolation centre and are being taken care of and all the ones that are negative are preparing to leave for their various homes.”