Lockdown: Rotary Club Nsukka distributes palliative to over 150 households

Felix Ikem, Nsukka

The palliative materials which include 10kg of rice, 10kg of beans, half cartoon of 120gm of Indomie noodles and 12kg of garri were distributed to beneficiaries at Erina Hotel Nsukka.

Speaking to Saturday Sun Friday during the exercise, the president of the club, Roatarian Dr. Chile Oguejiofor said the aim of the palliative is to give a sense of belonging to the vulnerable and poor people in the society.

According to Dr. Oguejiofor, ” what did today is a way of giving back to the society. Looking at what is going on in the country and all over the world today where government is shooting down all the businesses to contain the spread of the corona virus, you find out that many Nigerians are seriously affected.

“We looked for those people who were vulnerable and very poor in our midst and distributed the items to them. We know them, we are living with them. Some are doing petty trading and finding it difficult to feed themselves. Now, their businesses have being shut down, how will they survive? That’s why we have to give them this palliative no matter how small it may seem.”

Asked how many households that will benefit from the gesture, he explained that” over one hundred and fifty households have being pencilled down for this kind gestures. We have done this in the two Senatorial districts in Enugu state. Today is the turn of Enugu North Senatorial district.”

On the source of fund for the project, Dr. Oguejiofor, a senior lecturer at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN stressed that “each and everyone of us here had to task ourselves to raise this fund used for this project. We know things are hard but we had to do it because that is what Rotary of Club of Nigeria is known for.”

Expressing her gratitude for the kind gestures one of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Nkechinyere Obetta told Saturday Sun that, “1 am so happy Rotary Club of Nsukka remembering me today. I have been hearing that government is distributing food items but I have not been given anything by the government. I pray God to continue to bless the club and its members for this kind gesture.”

Another beneficiary, Ifeyinwa Ogbonna told Saturday Sun that “initially when I was informed that Rotary Club will distribute their palliative materials to us, I didn’t believe it. But, to my greatest surprise, they gave us, rice, beans, indomie noodles and garri. Not only that, sensitized us on how to maintain and keep our personal hygiene, social distancing and other things.

“As I am talking to you, my household has nothing to eat today. We have been overwhelmed by this lockdown. Now, Rotary club has given us another hope of survival. I pray God to continue to bless them,” he said.

Some of the prominent members of the club Chief Dr.Okwun Omeaku Acting PRO University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Mr Chibuzor Asogwa was among their member present during the occasion.