FCT threatens to arrest, prosecute teachers flouting COVID-19 protocols

By OLAWALE AJIMOTOKAN

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has urged teachers in Abuja to comply fully with COVID-19 protocols or be arrested and prosecuted in the court of law.

The Head, Media and Enlightenment on COVID-19, Mr. Ikharo Attah, issued the threat yesterday after an inspection of compliance across schools in the nation’s capital.

Attah said that it was ironic that guidelines were grossly violated by teachers in the schools visited while the students fully complied.

He said: “What we saw was a very strong compliance by the students, but very sadly, school workers, teachers, some security men and non-teaching staff believed that the compliance was strictly and only for students. You all saw it. We went to some schools where we saw teachers not putting on facemasks, we saw workers not putting on facemasks and we saw cleaners not putting on facemasks, but the students were almost 100 percent in compliance with facemasks.

“So we actually felt disappointed that teachers and school leaders who ought to be the ones spearheading were the ones defaulting the guidelines.”

He explained that it was strategic inspecting the schools on the third day as according to him, the schools had dropped the guard as they expected the inspection on the first day.

The apathy to COVID-19 protocols by teachers and other workers was glaring at Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada, Wuse Zone 4, through Junior Secondary, Wuse Zone 3 to Government Secondary School, Garki.

It was same with Festival Road Primary School, Garki, even though the Principal, Mr. Shuiabu Mohammed Usman, had disclosed that his school had installed five hands washing points and collected more desks to enable physical distancing. (THISDAY)