Emmanuel Adigwe
Following the directive of the Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, for every member of staff of Lagos State House of Assembly to know his status, members of the assembly arrived at the Yaba Isolation and Treatment Centre for the COVID-19 test.
The lawmaker representing Oshodi/Isolo constituency I, Mr Akeem Shokunle, speaking with newsmen at the Isolation and Treatment Centre, said it was not enough to observe all the protocols recommended by WHO, NCDC and other medical experts alone, it had also become imperative for everyone to know his or her status.
Shokunle said: “You will recall that the Speaker of the House asked us all to go for testing, the House in its wisdom also decided to extend it to the staff members and aides alike.
“On this premise, nobody would give any excuse for not doing the test, we organised the test on two or three occasions within the Assembly complex for both lawmakers and workers. I still have to mobilise down here those who missed the test on those occasions.”
Also, a medical practitioner, Dr Mutiu, enjoined the staff members to continue to observe safety precautions stipulated by the medical experts even if they test positive for the virus.
Mutiu said: “Between five to seven days, your result will be out and will be sent to you. However, if you test negative now does not mean you should become careless and stop observing the safety precautions recommended by the medical experts because your results will only be valid for as long as you do not expose yourselves to the virus.”
“I missed the test on two occasions when they came to the Assembly Complex to conduct the test for lawmakers and other staff members, so, having another opportunity to do it right here at the Yaba Isolation centre, I have to take advantage of that. Knowing my status has become necessary because I take public transport every day and contrary to government’s recommendation for spacing in the bus, the transport operators carry passengers with disregard to the rule while they still hike the fare. Since the test is free and it doesn’t cost me more than my transport fare from my house to this place, why won’t I take advantage of it, at least, Lagos State House of Assembly has made it easy for us and we are grateful” a lawmaker added.