The federal government on Friday appealed to the Rotary Club to leverage on its community engagement strategy to help in mitigating coronavirus community spread across the country.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the appeal in Abuja when the newly-elected Governor of Rotary International’s District 9125, Mrs. Jumoke Bamigboye, paid him a courtesy visit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports District 9125 comprises 23 of the country’s 36 states as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
Specifically, the minister urged the international peace and humanitarian service organisation to help in setting up sample collection centres across the country to increase the number of tests.
He said, “I make this appeal because of Rotary’s great role in the recent eradication of polio in Nigeria. Working through Rotary Nigeria’s PolioPlus Committee, this respected organisation helped vaccinators to reach the remote areas of the country to ensure that every child received the polio vaccine.
“The result is what we have today, a polio-free Nigeria. I have no doubt that Rotary can play a similar role in our efforts to combat Covid-19 in Nigeria and rid the country of the virus.”
The minister congratulated Bamigboye on his election to the high office and wished her eventful tenure.
Earlier, the newly elected Rotary Governor commended the minister and other members of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, for the good work they were doing to contain the pandemic.
She solicited collaboration with the parastatal agencies under the minister’s supervision including NTA and National Orientation Agency on sensitisation programmes on their humanitarian programmes.
She said Rotary members across the globe would be in Kwara state for her investiture on September 12 and urged the minister to grace the event.
