In support of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s efforts at ensuring that more vulnerable persons in the state are reached with palliative food supplies, protective materials and funds, members of Abia State Executive Council have donated the sum of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira Only) to the state’s COVID-19 Relief Fund.
The state executive council members who made the donation include the State Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, PhD, Secretary to the State Government, Barr Chris Ezem, Honorable Commissioners, State Head of Servce, Sir Onyii Wamah and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Barr A C B Agbazuere, PhD.
Speaking while receiving the representatives of the Exco members, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu expressed appreciation to them for the kind gesture and called on other well meaning private and corporate citizens of the state to partner with his administration to deliver more palliative materials to the people of the state especially in consideration of the necessary extension of the lockdown period by seven days.
Governor Ikpeazu who explained that he chose to use religious institutions to deliver the first batch of palliatives because of the need to ensure political neutrality in the distribution to vulnerable persons, prevent clustering of people who may need the materials as well as the confidence he has in the ability of our fathers in the faith to be fair in managing the materials and funds, directed that the time table and names of the religious institutions involved in the second phase of the program be released to the media while the ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs liaise with traditional rulers and presidents general of town unions to ensure that those who are not within the church/mosque basket of the state also get the palliatives as soon as possible.
Chief John Okiyi Kalu
Honorable Commissioner for Information , Abia State
8/4/2020
