COVID-19 lockdown: Activate your food bank now, Deltans tell Okowa

Paul Osuyi, Asaba

The respondents lamented that their finances had dwindled drastically with seven more days to go in the 14-day lockdown declared to prevent the outbreak of the dreaded Coronavirus disease also known as COVID-19 in the state.

They told our correspondent that the past six days had been tortuous, adding that they had exhausted all their food which they had stocked before the order took effect on April 1.

Although, they acknowledged the provision of temporary food market by government, some of them lamented that there was no money to go and re-stock foodstuffs, saying that they live on daily earnings and not on monthly income like civil servants.

A food vendor who simply identified herself as Nne Obiageli thanked the state government for the idea about food bank but was quick to add that distribution to beneficiaries should start in earnest and must not be politicised.

“This food bank which the government is going to float, they should start it very fast because people no longer have food at home. If they want the lockdown to continue to be effective, let them start distributing the food to those of us who need it and not politicians and their followers,” she stated.

Also an artisan, Udoka Nwanari lauded the food bank initiative, adding however that what the government should have done at the beginning was to have shared certain amount of money to every household.

“Government is supposed to give each family a certain amount of money to stay at home during this lockdown. For me and most of us who live on daily earnings, our homes are empty, no food.

“That is why we are happy that government has announced that there will be food bank. We need food to continue to endure this lockdown directive, if not, the next one week will be very tough,” Nwanari added.

The state government had on Monday announced the establishment of a food bank to cushion the effects of the lockdown.

Briefing reporters on the outcome of an enlarged meeting of the Central Committee on Managing and Containing the Coronavirus pandemic In Delta headed by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the state Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu also said all political appointees would forfeit their one month subvention to their offices as contribution to the funds to provide palliatives to the people.

Aniagwu said committees are also to be set up at the state, local government, ward and unit levels to ensure that the food items get to all, especially the vulnerable in the society.