Jonathan appeals to NUT on SEPT 22 resumption date

President Goodluck Jonathan has appealed to the
Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and other unions
to resume work on Monday September 22, 2014.
Speaking with journalists at the Presidential Villa,
Abuja, he maintained that the Ebola Virus Disease
(EVD) has been successfully contained in the country.

He explained that the government has taken
adequate and globally accepted measures to check
the spread of the disease in the country.
The President pointed out that the relevant
authorities have put in place necessary equipment
and gadgets at the nation’s airports and other
entry points to stop any further importation of the
disease into Nigeria.
Keeping Nigerian schools closed over Ebola, he
said, would send wrong signal to other countries
and make them to treat all Nigerians travellers as
Ebola carriers.
Stressing that Ebola is presently not a problem in
Nigeria, he said: “we have been able to manage
Ebola and the whole world is happy with us and we
must tell the whole world that we have managed
Ebola and no Nigerian should be segregated
because of Ebola.”
“In fact Osun State was to have their festival and
the news came to me to cancel it I said no, Ebola
is no longer a threat in Nigeria and we must tell
the world that we have been able to contained
Ebola.”
“Yes, Ebola is in the West Coast, it could happen in
Ghana, it could happen in Senegal or any of the
West African countries or beyond but they have
not closed down their institutions. If we still have
Ebola definitely we will not open any of our
institutions but we don’t have Ebola.”
He added; “I dare ask is NUT saying that until the
world is able to end Ebola is Guinea, Liberia and
Sierra Leone before Nigeria should open our
institutions? It is not right. Government is not a
fool, it is not any labour body that asked us to take
that decision, we took it because we felt that we
must protect our citizens.”
“This is one government that discusses with
anybody that has issues to discuss. Even NUT has
no reason to threaten industrial action because of
Ebola, the governors took that decision. I called all
the governors of the states to come with their
commissioners of health.
” On the day of that meeting I did not even allow
them to speak because they will play politics. I
asked all the commissioners including the
Secretary of Health in Abuja, to brief us on the
steps they have taken and they listened to their
colleagues because it was also a peer review
process.
“If you are hiding certain things by the time you
hear your colleagues you will go back and get
things done. We are sure that even if one mad
Sawyer comes again, nobody will contract Ebola.
We have managed Ebola very well, the world is
happy we must tell the world that no Nigerian
should be suspected of Ebola and that is the
position of government.”
Appealing to NUT, he said: “I will plead with NUT
and other unions that this does not require
industrial action. They should commend
government, they should work with us, they are
Nigerians, all Nigerians must work together to
make sure that we contain Ebola. Why do we want
to create problems where it is not necessary, it is
uncalled for.” He stated
The President commended the Lagos State
governor, Babatunde Fashola and his Rivers State
counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi for working with the
Federal Government to contain the disease in their
states.


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