The University of Calabar COVID-19 Task Force Committee has commenced the fumigation of the campus ahead of the February 5 resumption date for academic activities.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Florence Obi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Calabar that the fumigation was part of the institution’s preparation and readiness for resumption of academic activities.

Mrs Obi, a professor, said that the fumigation of the administrative buildings and other sections within the campus was being carried out by a charitable individual in the state.

“We are very grateful to Mr Andrew Onukansi for what he has done to the university. I want to use this opportunity to plead with the private sector, major stakeholders and friends of Unical to come to our aid.

“Outside fumigation, we need a lot of items for our COVID-19 Taskforce Committee to effectively manage and implement the protocols of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on campus.

“The Committee has been going round and soliciting for support from corporate bodies, friends and well-wishers of Unical.

“This is the time we want our friends to identify with us. We want people to come to our aid; don’t just identify with us when your wards are looking for admission and employment, also identify with us at the time of our need.

“This is the time of our need, and we want to make sure that our students and staff are safe as school resume,” she said.

The VC explained that some gates leading into the university would be closed, adding that adequate measures have been put in place to provide washing hand buckets, sanitisers and liquid soap in all the blocks and classrooms.

“We are going to have sanitisers and automatic dispenser for students and staff.

“Also, we are going to have an enforcement taskforce that will enforce the compulsory use of face mask for students, staff and visitors on campus.

“We expect students to resume school with enough face mask for use. We have received some materials from the state government and private organisations, we are going to distribute them on the basis of first come first served,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the COVID-19 Taskforce Committee, Kingsley Akaba, told NAN that the Committee had commenced a sustainable advocacy for students and staff on what is expected of them on campus.

Mr Akaba said that the advocacy was to instil the guidelines of NCDC and the Presidential Task Force with a view to ensuring that the guidelines were been complied with by students and staff.

“We want to ensure that students are not scared of COVID-19 psychologically. We also want to ensure that every suspected case of COVID-19 is handled at the best standard level.

“We want to ensure a seamless academic session and adequate use of face mask on campus by all students, staff and visitors,” he said.

Responding, the Managing Director of Eshore Global Concept, who volunteered to fumigate the campus, said that the gesture was to help the institution to prepare adequately for school resumption.