Enlightenment Campaign to contain the spread of Coronavirus Disease,
covid-19, across the Niger Delta Region.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony at the NDDC Warehouse, in Trans-Amadi
Industrial Layout, Port Harcourt, the Commission’s Acting Managing
Director, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, lamented that the poor state of
health facilities in the country, and specifically in most states of the
Niger Delta region was a major constraint in the fight against covid-19.
He said: “No doubt, the disease has also taken its toll on the
socio-economic well-being of citizens, especially as most small and
medium scale businesses have been affected with the lockdown imposed in
the states.”
Pondei noted that the economic wellbeing of the people of the region was
further dwindled due to the series of lockdowns being imposed by both
the federal and state governments as a precautionary measure to mitigate
the spread of covid-19 in the country.
The NDDC Chief Executive Officer noted that the Commission was always
desirous to support the government and people of the states in the Niger
Delta region in the area of quality health care delivery, adding: “The
Commission looks forward to strengthening relationship with the states
in the region in the area of health care for the good and well-being of
the residents.
“The good relationship between the governments of states in the region
offers opportunity for synergy in efforts geared towards providing
lasting solution to the socio-economic challenges of the people in the
region.”
Pondei said that the NDDC needed to complement the efforts of the nine
states covered by its mandate in response to the directive of President
Muhammadu Buhari, stating: “All the nine NDDC states were supported with
funds. In addition funds were also given to women and youth groups as
palliatives.”
The NDDC boss remarked that the funds given to the states were utilized
for the procurement of medical equipment such as special diagnostic
equipment, critical care equipment, including ventilators and
consumables. Others, he said, were various food items, beverages,
sanitary materials and disinfectants.
Pondei said: “Also provided were support needs for the physically
challenged, such as wheel chairs and crutches. The funds also cover
sensitization and public enlightenment campaign as an important measure
to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the Niger Delta region.”
In his own remarks, the NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Dr. Cairo
Ojougbo, said that covid-19 was the most important issue in the world
today, noting that the Commission had come up with programmes to curb
the spread of the virus.
The Chairman of the NDDC Palliative Committee, Mr. Soboma Jackrich,
described the ceremony as a laudable and historic event, stating: “When
you put square pegs in square holes, you should expect good results.
Members of the Interim Management Committee, IMC, are people that mean
well for the region, I thank the IMC for finding youths worthy of being
involved in the programme.”
The Secretary-General of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals
Producing Communities in the Niger Delta, TROMPCON, Chief Frank
Okurakpor, lauded the NDDC, for coming up with the initiatives while
describing the Commission as an auxiliary gear that extricates the
people from difficult situations.
He however warned that the NDDC should not be used as a breeding ground
for politicians, stating that whoever wanted to vie for any political
office, should do so from elsewhere and not from the NDDC.
The Amamgada X11 of Rebisi,,Eze W. Akarolo, commended the NDDC for its
development efforts in the Niger Delta and welcomed the intervention of
the Commission in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Niger Delta youth leader, Mr Jonathan Lokpobiri, expressed gratitude
to President Buhari for approving the distribution of palliatives to
cushion the effects of COVID-19 on the lives of vulnerable people in the
region.
He said: “My appeal to the management of the NDDC is that we should
jettison politics and focus on the development of our people.”
