Magnus Eze, Enugu
As residents of Ebonyi State battle hunger occasioned by the lockdown measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic, a humanitarian group, De Norsemen Club International, has donated assorted food items to Onicha Local Government Area of the State.
The items included over 100 bags of 5kg rice and 100 cartons of noodles, presented to the council for distribution to the poor and vulnerable.
The South-East zonal Director of the group, Okenwa Uka, who presented the materials to the chairman of the local government, Felix Igboke, declared that the country cannot fight COVID-19 without fighting the attendant hunger caused by the necessary lockdown measures. He noted that the effects of the pandemic were capable of killing anybody, and should not be treated with levity.
According to him, the gesture was to assist both the federal and the state governments in what they were doing to contain the spread of the lethal virus and to mitigate the effects of the lockdown on the lives of poor Nigerians, especially Ebonyians.
He disclosed that the organisation had set up Anti-COVID-19 Committee to raise awareness among the public on the need to adhere to the precautionary measures spelt out by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“Onicha Local Government Area is special to us because it is the best council area in Ebonyi State in terms of performance.
“The quality of the traditional rulers we have here is second to none. The Chairman, Engr Felix Igboke, since he assumed the leadership of the council, we can all attest to the fact that he has improved the place tremendously in the area of infrastructure. And the chairman, being a young man who underwent the tutelage of training in the area, understands the pains the people pass through daily here.
“He has extended help to several other persons, even outside the council and, as a result, we said no matter how little the items we are coming to give to the people, it’s better than coming with nothing. All we are asking is that let this little token get to the target publics. Our thinking is that COVID-19 cannot be fought without fighting Hunger-20.”
Coordinator of Onicha Development Centre, Prince Chima Ude-Umanta, who represented the council boss, said that some other good spirited individuals from the area had in various ways assisted the people with relief items.
He commended the group for its magnanimity, saying: “This is awesome of De Norsemen. Our traditional rulers, you have seen what they brought; please, shower them with your blessings. All of us will bless this club on behalf of our Executive Chairman who is unavoidably absent because of another assignment he is attending to somewhere.”