Abia state government has commended the organised private sector in Aba, represented by the Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA) for donating palliative materials to the state government to support the needy in the state.
Chris Ezem, secretary to the state government, who made the commendation, while receiving donations from ACCIMA at the Government House, Umuahia, expressed gratitude to the chamber, stressing that its donation would go a long way in helping the state to support needy households in the state.
According to him, this period is indeed a trying time for governments and families.
Ezem, who is the chairman, Abia Inter-Ministerial Committee on COVID-19, stated that the support of ACCIMA was very special to him, as it is not about the quantum or quantity of items that were brought, but the thought to join in the fight against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.
In his words, “No one knew that the COVID-19 pandemic would hit the world, therefore no plan was made for it, but thanked God and good-spirited Abians, who have been sustaining the Abia food-bank.
“The world economy has been crippled with the closure of borders and businesses with over four billion people sitting at home, as a result of covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
He appealed to Abians to adhere strictly to government directives to contain the spread of coronavirus, saying that although the lockdown came with pains, it is for the good of all.
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He frowned at the rate people rush out to the markets at the early hours of the day, to transact business, disregarding the background of the people they come in contact with in the market, adding that the use of facemask, social distancing, personal hygiene and the ban on large gatherings cannot be compromised.
Lawrence Obetta, president, ACCIMA, while making the donation of 50 cartons of noodles,10 bags of 50kg rice, 25 cartons of soap and 2 cartons of hand sanitizer to Abia state government, explained that the relief materials were donations from executive committee and members of ACCIMA, to support the state government to provide for the people to cushion the effect of the lockdown on them.
According to Obetta, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who is also a grand patron of ACCIMA, has been sublime in managing the pandemic from spreading to other parts of the state and it would be unwise not to support him.
He observed that over 70 percent of Nigerians need palliative at this time, and therefore everyone should come out and make donations to support the vulnerable, no matter how little.
He noted that apart from the donation to the state, that the chamber had also contributed a lot into its food-bank, ranging from bags of beans, tinned tomatoes, groundnut oil, cartons of canned fish, bags of rice, soaps, table water, dispenser units in public places, among others, for distribution to the less privileged in the society, motherless babies homes, as well as Aba Correctional Centre (former prisons).
Obetta urged the Aba business community and Abians to obey government lockdown directives of observing personal hygiene, social distancing and use of facemask to stop the spread of the virus in the area.
Also present at the presentation were, Chidi Nkem-Aruoma, president, Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (UCCIMA), Chris Agbo, vice president, membership/chairman, ACCIMA Covid-19 Relief Committee, Johnson Chidi Franklin, executive secretary, ACCIMA and other Exco members of ACCIMA.
