FG defends resumption date, warns against irrational fear

Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu

The   Federal Government through the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, said that the calls for the postponement of schools resumption were caused by “irrational fear.”

Chukwu told journalists after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, that the “irrational fear ”   lacked scientific basis.

He said, “First unlike other countries, there is no community transmission of the disease in Nigeria; not one yet. But we have taken precautions, what we are doing, we may as well have said everybody should just be moving about, but we are taking precautions.

“There is no scientific basis for school resumption to be postponed. There is no community transmission of the disease in Nigeria. That is what separates Nigeria from other countries. It is what I call irrational fear; we don’t need to be irrational about this.”

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Education has said   its meeting with the NMA and   the Federal Ministry of Education on September 15 would address the appropriateness of a review of the September 22 resumption date.

Its chairman   stated that the concerns raised by the NMA over the new resumption date would not be brushed aside.

Usman, who was on a   visit to the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos alongside members of the committee, said since the NMA   had kicked against the new resumption date,   it would be wise for the House   to meet with key stakeholders.

He said, “The NMA has advised government not to allow   students to resume on 22nd of this month. The NMA is made up of professionals and there are certain things they could have seen which may be unclear to us.

“We have invited the officials of both the NMA and the Federal Ministry of Education for a meeting on   Monday for us to look into the issues of Ebola once again. We are going to look into the demands of the NMA and come up with a decision in the best interest of the country.”