The management of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) over the weekend donated food items worth about 23 milion naira to 30 Delta communities as part of efforts to ameliorate their sufferings during the lockdown order by the state government to checkmate the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
Presenting the food items to the communities at Otujeremi, Ughelli South Council Area, the Manager, Government, Community Relations and Security, NPDC/NDW OML34 JV, Sheidu Aiguedo, said other communities in Udu, Ughelli North and Warri South Council areas of the state woud also benefit from the gesture.
Aiguedo who represented the Chief Operating Officer of the NPDC/NDW OML34 AMT, Chief Edirin Abamwa, noted that this was a time to show love u,rging others to show love to their neighbours at this critical time.
According to Aiguedo, the food items donated included 350 bags of rice, 350 bags of Garri and 350 bags of beans amongst others, adding that the cost of the food items were worth over N23 million.
Addressing journalists after the brief handing over ceremony, Aiguedo said: “Prior to this time both NPDC and ND Western have made enormous contributions to Delta State Government in preparation for this COVID-19 pandemic. The whole idea was to help government in case of any possible outbreak in the state.
“As it is today the state has recorded four cases and the good thing is that the government has a reasonable level of preparedness, courtesy of our own contributions.
“We thought it wise to donate these food items to the communities because of the lockdown and also because government needs some level of support to help alleviate the suffering that the people may go through as they are obeying Government instructions in order to curb the spread of this pandemic in the state.”
“By this laudable gesture what we are doing is to ensure that we reach the people with all these food that you are seeing here today. The food you are seeing today will go to about 30 communities that cut across three local government areas.
“What we have here is 350 bags of rice, 350 bags of Garri and 350 bags of beans. This is costing the company well over 25 million naira.
He advised Nigerians to see this as a war situation where the first thing for them to do was to take cover and see how they can protect themselves, family and the community.
“This pandemic is real. There are people who are symptomatic, they might come up with symptoms but they might be able to spread it. There are people who may come up with symptoms and we may identify them. This is the reason why government says we should stay at home. This might afford the opportunity to achieve contact tracing and reach out to them to text them and treat them.
“I will also advise people that, definitely the lockdown might come up with some inconveniences, but we need to stay alive. And the best way to stay alive is to heed to governments advice and I am sure it is in the best interest of everyone.
“So as a company, as part of our social corporate responsibility. That is what we are doing. We are showing love at the Federal, State, Local and community level,” Aiguedo said.
Receiving the items on behalf of the communities, the monarch of Ughievwen Kingdom, HRM Matthew Ediri Egbi, the Owhawha 11, commended NPDC for the kind gesture, assuring that the items would be equitably distributed among all the communities.
