The Chairman of the Southeast Governors’ forum and Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, disclosed this at the Government House in Abakaliki, the state capital while briefing newsmen of the outcome of the virtual meeting of the forum on Sunday.

Umahi said the forum also reviewing the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region, adding that school infrastructures will be reviewed to support the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols pending when the Federal government decides on when it is safe to reopen schools.

“This is because they love themselves and must always stay together and a part of the protocols of the NCDC is that people must wash their hands with running water”.

“You will ask how many of our schools have running water and how many sanitisers have been provided for them”.

“It is rainy season presently and most schools are bushy and have been abandoned since March due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

On July 13, the federal government released guidelines for the safe reopening of school.

On Sunday, Nigeria reported 555 new cases of COVID-19, pushing the country’s total caseload past the 40,000-mark, according to the NCDC.

The meeting was also attended by some National Assembly members from the zone, Ohaneze Ndigbo leaders and other stakeholders.