COVID-19: Pasuma, Owen Gee back Sanwo-Olu’s Maskup Lagos initiative

Pasuma, Nigerian singer, and Owen Gee, a comedian, have supported the Maskup Lagos initiative of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of the state, aimed at combating the coronavirus pandemic.

The initiative, launched by the Lagos state government, was to sensitize residents on the importance of face mask usage to curb the community transmission of the novel disease.

Sanwo-Olu also announced the production and distribution of free face masks for citizens who cannot afford to get one for themselves.

Solape Hammond, special adviser to the governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said the free face masks would be distributed across the different local governments in the state.

Commenting on the development, Pasuma, born Wasiu Alabi, said his support for the campaign was informed by the need to collaborate with both federal and state governments to tackle the COVID-19.

“This virus has disrupted our lives and we need to join hands to stop the spread. We have been told that one of the best ways to stop the spread is to use a face mask,” he said.

“We want to go back to work because we can not continue to stay at home. If we must go back to our daily activities we must also ensure we don’t spread the virus by maintaining all the rules like social distancing, washing of our hands and the use of face mask.”

Also speaking, Owen Gee said the support is needed given how the pandemic has affected players in the tourism and entertainment industry due to the ban against large gatherings.

“It is in our interest to cooperate with government so we can defeat this pandemic as quick as possible. As the government prepares to open up the economy, we must step up the campaign on the use of face mask by all,” he said.

On his part, Lekan Fatodu, a representative of the SDGs office, expressed optimism that the support of the two celebrities would go a long way in driving compliance with the use of face masks among residents.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that the use of face masks could halt the spread of the disease in places where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

The World Health Organization (WHO) however, warned that while face masks may help curb the spread of COVID-19, they were insufficient on their own.