Adewale Sanyaolu
As part of efforts to support government’s strategy aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a cooking gas company located in Umuahia, Abia State – Second Coming Nigeria Limited – has donated 35,000 litres of cooking gas worth about N5.5 million to the Abia State government.
The gesture, according to the company, is part of its intervention to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown.
Managing Director of the company Dr Basil Ogbuanu made the donation at a brief handover ceremony at the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in Umuahia.
He said the product, worth N5.5 million, was the company’s modest contribution towards alleviating the plight of the people occasioned by the lockdown.
Ogbuanu, who was represented by the company’s accountant, Mr Oken Maduabuchi, said that the product would be distributed freely to residents in a bid to offset part of their cooking cost.
He commended the state government for its efforts and commitment in ensuring that Abia remained free of COVID-19.
The Managing Director also appealed to cooking gas operators to support government towards stamping out the pandemic in Nigeria.
Ogbuanu, however, commended the federal and state governments for the efforts made to control the rapid spread of the disease.
He expressed happiness with the professionalism exhibited by the doctors and other health workers in the fight against the pandemic, adding that their giant strides had shown that Nigeria has professionals who could compete favourably with their colleagues in other parts of the world.
He urged Nigerians to adhere strictly to the directives issued by the government as part of precautionary measures against the disease, stressing that complying with the directives is in the interest of all.
The company’s media consultant, Mr Bright Ozurumba, who accompanied Maduabuchi to the ceremony, said that the donations are the company’s way of appreciating the good patronage it had enjoyed in the state.
“The company sees this as a payback time, hence its decision to identify with the government and people of the state during this trying period,” he said.
“The wellbeing, health and safety of our people in Abia and Nigerians in general remain paramount to us as LPG marketers,” he added, noting that the sector was still open for more interventions from all partners.
He also commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its partners who have donated over $30 million dollars to support the Federal Government’s efforts at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.
Responding, Abia State Deputy Governor Ude Oko-Chukwu, who was also joined by members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on COVID-19, including the SSG, Mr Chris Ezem, thanked Ogbuanu and the company’s management for supporting the government in its efforts to alleviate the impact of the lockdown on the citizenry.