By Pita Chib, Minna

Disturbed by the wide spread of Coronavirus in the Country, the Nigeria Union of Teachers NUT, Sunday advised governments to trade with caution while reopening schools, saying the lives of teachers and their pupils should be seriously considered before such action is taken.

The Principal Assistant Secretary of the Union in Niger State, Comrade Labaran Garba, gave the advice in Minna after conducting journalists round the Ultra Modern Niger State Secretariat of the organisation.

Garba said, "We should not rush into opening schools so as not to draw pupils into the COVID-19 pandemic.

" Teachers are more prone to contacting the diseases because they are closer to the pupils they are the first that will meet the pupils in the event of either a pupil or teacher has contacted the disease it will easily spread",he said.

The Principal Assistant Secretary, disclosed that the union has submitted a memoranda to the Niger state government on steps to take before the reopening of schools, urging the government to apart from critically looking into the submission to organise a " critical stakeholders meeting" to marshal out the best approach that will lead to the reopening of schools.

Garba however pleaded with government to seriously consider teachers in the sharing of palliatives when the schools reopen.

He  further disclosed that over N150m has so far been expended on the construction and furnishing of  ultra modern secretariat, saying that the funding of the project
is from union dues.

According to him, " We are not owing anybody on this project, we did not collect any bank loan, there is no government intervention, is done purely from our 45% share of members contributions."

The administrative building  will accommodate all the principal officers of the union and supporting staff it also has two board rooms and a conference hall1000 capacity multi purpose conference centre which is still under construction.

As  part of the project, he said construction of  an Information Communication Technology  ICT, would soon be completed.

He said the NUT has also established a "very standard School" a Micro finance bank and other projects for the benefit of the Union members.