Monarch rallies private sector to COVID-19 preventive measures

By Wole Oyebade |   22 May 2020   |   3:05 am  

Oba Enitan Ogunwusi


The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, has urged banks and other private sectors to fumigate their premises among other preventive measures to contain the spread of coronavirus disease.

The monarch, while donating a motorised modular fumigator to the Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN) recently in Lagos, said COVID-19 is real and raving the world, but it could be better controlled locally when all stakeholders made it a duty to observe preventive measures within their domains.

Ogunwusi, said the world is fighting what it could not see and it is much more difficult to fight a pandemic among a lot of people that still don’t belief that coronavirus is real.

He said: “It is indeed a war; absolute war against humanity. It is about time we started taking it seriously. Disinfection is a key aspect of prevention and controlling COVID-19 in Nigeria. It is as important as wearing of nose masks, washing of hands and other health precautions stipulated by government.

“Let the government put the laws in place. As they are mandating us to wear face masks, they should mandate basic disinfection of the environment to prevent the spread of the pandemic,” he said.

The monarch charged PECAN to move around public spaces to disinfect the environment, and educate people on the essence of fumigation.

“In my own little way, from the House of Oduduwa, I have donated this small machine to you. Offer free services in your own little way too. I know it is very difficult for you to service everybody, but organise seminars, lectures and workshops to let the private sector know the necessity of disinfection.”

While speaking on the importance of the fumigator, a Public Health Physician and the Head of Department, Community Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Peju Esimai, said infection prevention and control were crucial in the war against COVID-19.

Esimai said active fumigation and disinfecting of the environment helps in destroying the microorganisms in the air using chemicals, which is timely in this period of coronavirus.

She said the locally made fumigator discharges disinfectant at a wide radius of 30 to 450 feet. The National President of PECAN, Kunle Williams, said the association was ready to partner with the government and private sectors in fighting the pandemic through active fumigation and disinfecting of the environment.

“The reality is that COVID-19 is here. We all just need to learn to live safely. We at PECAN have been partnering and are still partnering with the government to sensitise people on how to decontaminate and disinfect,” he said.

Williams said the equipment donated by the Ooni goes a long way in pest control in Nigeria and the association would carry out corporate social responsibility with it in partnership with the local governments at the grassroots.

Tolaram Enterprises, the producer of hypo disinfectant, also donated chemicals and disinfectants to PECAN towards the prevention and control of coronavirus in Nigeria.

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