COVID-19: Delta To Engage NYSC In Production Of Face Mask

Delta State is set to engage the services of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) to begin the mass production of face masks for the state in its drive to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Tribune reports that the Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), Mr Chiedu Ebie, gave the assurance while receiving face masks and hand sanitizers produced by corps members serving in the state and donated to the state government as part of their contributions towards the fight against Covid-19.

“We are indeed proud of the NYSC for the initiative taken to produce these face masks and hand sanitizers.

“Before now, people didn’t value the importance of face masks or rather, they had different notions about its use, effectiveness and safety.

“But the face mask has proved to be very important in the prevention of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“While we must not undermine the effectiveness of hand sanitisers, it is however, better to use soap and water to wash hands.

“It is when there is no soap and water that the hand sanitizer becomes useful,” he said.

He commended the corps members for their skills, hinting that the state government had equally commenced mass production of face masks to be distributed to Deltans.

He, therefore, assured the NYSC of the state’s readiness to partner and collaborate with it by engaging the corps members to assist in the task.

Ebie reiterated that the state already had three confirmed cases of Covid-19 with one fatality, adding that it was no longer a rumour that the dreaded disease was in town.

He further advised Deltans and Nigerians to adhere strictly to guidelines and precautionary measures, maintaining that it is only by staying at home, washing of hands and wearing of face masks that the spread of the virus could be effectively  curtailed.

Earlier, the State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs. Olutayo Samuel, had lauded the state government for its proactiveness in the fight against Covid-19.

She stated that the corps members were highly motivated to contribute their quota just as she gave the credit to the director-general of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, who she said, gave the directive for corps members to support the effort of government at various levels in the fight against Covid-19.

Samuel, however, underscored the importance of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme (SAED), created in 2012 to train corps members in various trades that would be of benefit to them after service without being over dependent on white collar jobs.

“We are proud of these corps members for their innovations. At a very short notice, we were able to bring them back on camp for these productions.

“It was a painstaking production process. Apart from mobilizing resources for the venture, they had to pass through the eye of the needle to procure materials needed for the production in an atmosphere of strict lockdown.

“I want to assure you that the hand sanitizers you are being presented with meet the standard of World Health Organisation (WHO), including the face masks which are 100 per cent cotton and have the capacity to prevent 99 percent  of micro organisms that could enter the body through the nose or mouth,” Samuel noted.