By Muhyideen Jimoh
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the use of four national stadia and the NYSC camps as isolation centres for suspected Coronavirus patients.
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, disclosed this on Friday via his Twitter handle.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four designated stadia are: the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja; National Stadium, Surulere,Lagos; Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibada and Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.
“Mr President has approved for the Ministry of Youth and Sports to open and make available the stadiums in Surulere Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja and Kaduna as well as our NYSC camps nationwide for use as isolation centres as they are needed.
“The government is being proactive. Making available necessary resources and infrastructure in this race against time. Our hope and prayers are that this pandemic will be stopped sooner rather than later.
“The stadiums are huge complexes with many outdoor and indoor areas. Medical personnel and authorities will determine the appropriate areas of usage if and when necessary.
“Stadiums can be used as testing centres and because of space they will allow for required distancing.
“Our prayers are that Nigeria never gets to this level – but we must all be prepared to support the system. God bless all our doctors and medical staff at this critical time,” he said.
Dare said fumigation of some buildings within the stadia would also commence soon.
“The identification and fumigation of multiple buildings such as the multi-purpose sports halls, gyms etc located in the stadia will commence shortly,” he added.
The minister called on Nigerians, especially the youth to be in the forefront of disseminating timely and accurate information through the social media.
“We are in this together. And together we shall overcome. I call on the youths of Nigeria to be at the vanguard of dissemination of timely and accurate information via social media to Nigerians in their communities. We must ratchet up the awareness campaign for our people,” he said.
NAN reports that the Federal Government had earlier closed the NYSC camps and national stadia to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.