By Victor Ogunje
As the Ekiti State last Saturday reported the third victim of COVID-19, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has warned the security agencies in the state against using the opportunity to extort money from lockdown offenders and other citizens.
Following the allegation raised by the state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, that some security agents were compromising at borders, leading to unbridled influx of people into the state, the union warned against such unpatriotic act of sabotage for the safety of all citizens.
In a statement issued yesterday in reaction to the report of another COVID-19 case in the state, the TUC Chairman, Sola Adigun, said it became imperative for all residents not to accommodate strangers from other states “at this precarious time.
“Let’s all exhibit a high level of diligence and patriotism at this time. The security agencies and everyone involved should see this as a national call to save lives and not to make illicit money or harass citizens unnecessarily.”
Adigun advised workers that “if anyone, no matter how close to them, sneaked into their domains from other states, they should insist on the person going on isolation or report such person to the state government.”
The labour leader added: “The holy books’ injunctions on love for one’s neighbour didn’t imply that one should put himself and other members of the family in avoidable danger. COVID-19 is real, and not a joke and we have to give it a serious attention.
“Despite the pain being experienced as a result of the lockdown, workers should support the state government by complying with the orders, as it is the most practicable measure to stop the spread of the deadly disease which has humbled great nations with the best medical care.
“The workers should also support wholeheartedly the step taken by Fayemi -led government to curtail the spread of the pandemic in state, including the effective distribution of palliatives to cushion the effect of the lockdown.”
