COVID-19: EGCDF sends relief materials to communities in N’Delta

By Faith Abo

Egbema-Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation (EGCDF), has donated food materials worth millions of Naira to communities in Egbema and Gbaramatu kingdoms in Warri North and Warri South West Local Government Areas of Delta State, as part of its efforts to ameliorate the effect of the deadly Coronavirus.

The donations were made today, Tuesday, March 31, at the EGCDF’s Secretariat in Warri, ahead of Wednesday April 1, lockdown of the state as declared by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to battle the spread of the Coronavirus in the state.

Presenting the items to various communities representatives, the Executive Chairman of the Foundation, Comrade Jude Ebitimi Ukori said, “There is need for everybody to comply to the federal and state governments directive to stay at home. There’s tendency that this will pose a level of hardship to our people in terms of basic needs such as food items. On this note as a people we have donated these items as part of our welfare package to mitigate the suffering of the people of the Egbema and Gbaramatu kingdoms.

“These food items are given to them. We know very well that they are going to stay at home for 14day period of lockdown. They may face so challenges, so we decided to give out these items.

“This is indeed a challenging time in the history of the whole world. It’s an unusual
but I want to charge everybody to comply with the instructions that have been given.

“The COVID-19 is real. It’s already in Nigeria. So let’s help ourselves by helping others to stay at home and comply with other instructions by the ministry of health by constant washing our hands, social distancing.

“This is not a time for gatherings but for staying at home as ordered by the Delta state government.

“We strongly believe that COVID-19 is a stranger. We won’t be infected, but let’s follow instructions. l believe that the materials will reach out to our communities,” Ukori stated.

The items distributed included 400 bags of garri, 100 gallons of palm oil, hand sanitizers, detergents, among others.

EGCDF, sponsored by Chevron Nigeria Ltd/Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is a regional development initiative for Ijaw communities for the implementation of the Chevron’s Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU).