A social organization known as Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the Presidential Task Force, PTF on COVID 19 from embarking on the planned aerial fumigation exercise of the country, saying it will wreak more havoc than already recorded from the pandemic.
Specifically, the Forum in a statement signed by its President Akin Malaolu in Abuja on Thursday and made available to Vanguard said that the fumigation will lead to the death of many Nigerians, adding that aquatic lives such as fish will die.
While commending the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC on the measures so far taken to save Nigerians, the Forum warned the PTF not to rubbish the gains already made.
The organization also asked the media to be wary of the life insurance package by the PTF, saying it was unrealistic.
The Forum alleged that the plan was an avenue to rip Nigerians off.
The statement titled “President Buhari Must Call PTF to Order Over Aerial Fumigation Exercise” read thus in full: “As a leadership forum we have constantly monitored events in relation to the management of covid 19 virus that is pandemic. We must, however, confess that the leadership of National Center for Disease Control must be commended for adopting confident steps to save us all, but recent events unfolding from the daily briefing exercised by the Presidential Taskforce are becoming concerning for discernible minds.
“Some few days ago, the PTF on COVID 19 hinted of their intension to carry out aerial fumigation on 200 million Nigerians without deep thought for its consequences on our health, aquatic and fish farming and millions of poultry farming activities ongoing.
“As leaders of thought in the southwest, we are informing the government of the likely health and economic issues that may arise.
“Firstly, the fumigation on Nigerians may trigger some other issues like asthma, food poisoning and their multiplier effects on COVID 19 victims within Nigeria. More deaths would be recorded which may put a lie to all efforts so far achieved. The economic consequences on fish farms and others can be best imagined.
“Many states and local governments have done the fumigation exercise while the one under contemplation is ill-advised and unnecessary.
“Leaders in PTF should remember to put to use the words of President Buhari that the irresponsibility of the few must not be allowed to lead to many deaths. Nigerians are not queila birds.
“Similarly, we hereby urge the media to be circumspect over the promises of life insurance policy because it does not cover deaths arising from a pandemic. It is a loss risk.
“The foul presence of corruption is beginning to show in the management of covid 19.
“We are for these very urgent reasons calling on President Buhari to show his strong presence in the office and call them to order before the deeds are done.”
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