Lockdown: Rivers to distribute foodstuffs

TRACKING___Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has announced his administration’s resolve to distribute food palliatives to the people of Rivers following the sit-at-home directive to check the spread of the coronavirus.

He made this known in Port Harcourt on Sunday after inspecting the state food bank established for the distribution of the food palliatives.

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According to a statement by Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, the special assistant (electronic media) to the governor, a state committee will be set up to implement the distribution of the foodstuffs.

The governor said: “We inspected where we kept the relief materials for our palliative programme. Our intention is to ensure that we mitigate the impact of the sit-at-home directive.

“We are going to set up a committee for the distribution of the foodstuffs meant to serve as palliative for Rivers people.’’

The state government has rice, garri, beans, noodles, yam, palm oil and salt at the food bank.

The governor was accompanied by service commanders who are members of the state task force on enforcement of the ban on public and religious gatherings.

The food items are to be distributed to the less privileged in all the 23 local government areas of the state.

Gov Wike also warned against the politicisation of the fight against the coronavirus.

He said that all stakeholders must make sacrifice.

“We say to our people, this is not a time to play politics. Nobody should play politics with the lives of people.

“Everybody has to make sacrifice to make sure everyone stays alive.

“For now, we are not 100 per cent ready but we are about 90 percent ready. Luckily for us, we have no serious cases.

“The confirmed case is doing very well. They have sent her samples and it came out negative. The final sample has been sent and we are expecting the results.

“We are doing quite well. All members of the security council are working together to ensure that we prevent the spread of coronavirus,’’ the governor said.

He said the task force on the monitoring of compliance was happy with the level of cooperation by the churches.

He said: “We are happy with the level of compliance that we have seen throughout Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas. The churches complied.”