A non-governmental organisation, Gender Mobile Initiatives (GMI), has donated motorised hand-washing machines to the Ekiti State government as part of its collaborative efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
GMI’s Executive Director, Barrister Omowunmi Ogunrotimi, told the gathering at the handing-over ceremony yesterday that the contact-free machines would be effective in tackling the spread of the pandemic in Ekiti State.
Present at the ceremony, facilitated by the Ekiti State Ministry of Public Utilities and Infrastructure, were representatives of the international partners against COVID-19, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the European Union.
Ogunrotimi further said that the fact that the machines were contact-free when being used would mitigate further escalation of the disease.
“This organisation is leveraging on the use of technology to bring about a change in the lifestyles of our people, because technology is mobile.
“Available statistics confirmed that about 60 million population lack access to water in Nigeria. Another 50m lack access to the use of soap and water and that was why we designed a compact hand-washing device that can contain a large volume of water, with a soap hung on them that can be strategically stationed for people to comply with minimum hygiene under this COVID-19 spread.
“We have come up with products that are best suited to fight COVID-19 and which can be manufactured locally. They are easy to refill. They can be used in our communities and they dispense water and soap without contact,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Olumide Ajayi, speaking for the Commissioner, Bamidele Faparusi, said GMI had been a strong partner in the fight against open defecation in the state.
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