COVID-19: CRUTECH Academic Staff Union Donate Sanitizers To Cross River

By Jonathan Ugbal

The Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH) branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday donated over 30 liters of high quality hand sanitizers to the Cross River state government as part of efforts to break the chain in the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As at press time, the Nigerian Center for Disease Control had announced 238 confirmed cases of the SARS – CoV-2 with 35 said to have recovered and five recorded deaths.

And, the Chairman of the CRUTECH branch of the union, Dr. Emmanuel Ettah while presenting the sanitizers with a composition of almost 87 percent alcohol, moisturizer, essential oil and vitamin E to the health commissioner, Betta Edu posited that the product can kill 99.9 percent of germs and was essential when combined with the use of face masks to prevent the virus from spreading into Cross River state which is yet to record any case of COVID-19.

“We are very sure of this product and you should be too. It kills over 99.9 percent of germs. Yes, we have heard that masks help but what about our hands?” He said.

He continued: “We use our hands to touch tables, we touch chairs, surfaces and what have you! If we don’t protect ourselves by using sanitizers on our hands then the masks alone won’t help.”

Ettah also debunked claims that the fifth generation network, 5G was responsible for the pandemic.

“There is the social media conspiracy theory on 5G and COVID-19, it doesn’t exist. It should be known that radiation from masts can’t cause COVID-19 as these does not affect the upper respiratory tract,” Ettah said.

Furthermore, Ettah said that over 2,000 bottles of the hand sanitizers have been made with the union poised on sharing it among her members too.

Receiving the products, Dr. Edu commended the effort of the union and disclosed that it was the first donation of its kind from any University in the state.

“This is the first kind of donation we have received from a union in any university in the state,” Edu said, adding that; “we need your support and that of all institutions because everyone wants sanitizers. Do more if you can, Cross River state government is producing hand sanitizers but if you can send in students to support us it will be great but ASUU CRUTECH, your name automatically goes on as being the first and leading by example.”

Earlier, the immediate past coordinator of ASUU, Uyo/Calabar zone, Professor Nsing Ogar who joined Ettah and the branch treasurer, Dr. Patrick Ushie in the presentation averred that the action was being replicated nationwide.

Ogar who represented ASUU national president, disclosed that the sanitizers were produced by the Chemistry department of the varsity.