The member representing Oredo Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Rt Hon Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama has said the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presents about the most difficult situation for Nigeria, probably since the civil war.
Ogbeide-Ihama made this known in a statement on Thursday, describing the COVID-19 pandemic as like a scene from a doomsday sci-fi movie, and that as with every challenge that confronts man, the solutions always come from the same sources.
The statement reads: “Like a scene from a doomsday sci-fi movie, we are faced with the reality of an invincible enemy that threatens our long-held traditions, strong communal bonds, and most seriously, our very existence. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) presents about the most difficult situation we have found ourselves, probably since the civil war.
“While these are really scary times, we are not in a hopeless situation. As with every challenge that confronts man, the solutions always come from the same sources – Knowledge and Action. Defeating this scourge truly is not difficult if we will get accurate and genuine knowledge about it and take necessary actions to protect ourselves to stop the spread. Here are a few important things to know and do;
“The virus can not harm us as long as it remains outside our bodies. So even if you contact someone who has it, it has no effect on you until you ingest it. We must not let it get in. That is why two of the most important actions you can take this period are to WASH YOUR HANDS ALWAYS and KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM YOUR FACE! We must help stop the spread by avoiding as much as possible any sort of gatherings and avoid handshakes. As much as possible, the best place to be now is in your home.
“Thankfully the government has helped by taking some pro-active steps that we believe will go a long way in stemming the spread if followed by our people. I commiserate with everyone who has tested positive so far, and ask that we keep them in our prayers. Let us appreciate very deeply our healthcare professionals working sacrificially in the front-lines of combating this pandemic. We will not lose any of them to this.
“Let me add very importantly that we be careful about the authenticity of the information we consume this period. So much ‘fake news’ and ‘un-proven solutions’ permeate the social media space these days. It is important we act on information from only credible news sources, and as much as possible avoid any kind of self-medication. If you sense you have symptoms, please consult a health-care center.
“I plead with our traders and sellers to have the fear of God in their hearts and compassion towards their brothers and sisters this period by resisting the temptation to hoard and over-price essentials goods. I have been shocked to see the astronomical rise in the costs of items like face-masks, hand-gloves, and hand-sanitizers. No ‘artificial-profit’ that costs lives is worth it. I am confident we will defeat this. We all just need to play our part. May God protect us and end this in the shortest time. Amen”.