Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade has unveiled no fewer than 300,000 Personal Protection Equipment, PPE to be distributed to school children as the state prepares to open some schools next week.
The PPE including face shields, overalls and gloves are produced at the state owned garment factory.
The governor disclosed this on Wednesday when he inspected the protective gears and said they will be given out free for trial at public schools.
Ayade said medical personnel in the state will also be given PPEs for free.
The governor said that production of the protective gears was part of his administration’s effort to fight COVID-19.
His words: “I think that the federal government will be excited to encourage the resumption of schools because obviously the coronavirus has come to stay with us and the reality is that countries that have attempted to resume schools have had to contend with the increase prevalence of the virus but obviously how long can we wait as a country?
“So perhaps, we have to adopt a new lifestyle that will integrate coronavirus as part of our lifestyle.
“And so for Cross River State, we have a strong commitment that our children cannot continue to stay at home.
“The more they stay at home, the more the moral decadence, the more indiscipline, the more they become lazy of getting back to school and getting started because for every stage in life there is time where you have to be in class and once the child miss that delicate phase, it becomes very difficult.
“I think it is wise for the kids to go back to school and I have seen this happen in China where kids are back to schools with their nose masks and shields.
“So you wear your nose mask and you wear your face shield when you get to school you drop the mask, and wear only your shield to allow for more ventilation and more breathing.”
