As part of its contribution in the fight against the novel COVID-19 pandemic in Akwa Ibom State, the Okpolupm Etteh Foundation (OEF) has donated bags of rice and protective items including hand sanitizers, disinfectants, antiseptic soaps and facemask worth millions of Naira to Ibeno Local Government Council to ameliorate the effect of the stay-at-home order by the state government.
Speaking at the Council Secretariat, Upenekang, on Friday, the Coordinator of the Foundation, Hon. Ekoakwaha Etteh, explained to the people that the stay-at-home order of the State Government “is for our own good and to checkmate the spread of the dreaded disease.”
He said “the Foundation is not just committed to the welfare and wellbeing of the people of Ibeno but will do everything within its power to ensure it is achieved. The pandemic is of global concern and as such it concerns every one of us. We will go all the way to support the fight and campaign against the spread of COVID-19 in the state.”
Handing over the items to the Council Chairman, Pastor Ifum Henry, who was represented by the Council’s Vice Chairman, Hon. Sunday Isokobo, the Coordinator appealed for evenly distribution of the items across the 10 Wards of the Local Government Area, adding that “it is the Foundation’s contribution to whatever palliative measure the Council has put in place for the people during this period.”
“This is the time to show love and we at the Okpolupm Etteh Foundation have decided to reach out to our brothers and sisters in Ibeno who are currently complying with the State Government’s stay-at-home order by making available these items. I want to appeal for a fair and even distribution of these items,” he maintained.
Receiving the items on behalf of Ibeno Local Government Council, Hon. Isokobo thanked the Foundation for its kind gesture, thoughtfulness and immeasurable contributions to the Council.
“On behalf of the Council Chairman and people of Ibeno, I sincerely thank the Okpolupm Etteh Foundation for this support. It will really assist us in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. I want to also assure the Foundation that the Council will be sincere and fair in the distribution of the items. We really appreciate,” he said.
In his remarks, State Officer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Ukpong Okon, a Pharmacist, thanked the Foundation for being apt, for having the people of the area at heart and for encouraging the Local Government Council through the donations.
While confirming that the items are primarily required by the World Health Organization in the campaign against COVID-19, Mr. Okon appealed to the people of the area to comply with all the sanitary instruction and remain at home till the scourge is over.
Also speaking, the Council’s Supervisor for Health, Mrs. Rosaline Thompson, commended the Foundation for not just providing protective items to the people but also giving them food.
She said the support will go a long way to assist the Local Government Council to reach out to the people in the hinterland, adding that “the sensitization campaign so far has been a huge success.”
The highpoint of the ceremony was the formal handing over of 100 bags of rice, 40 cartons of Safeguard antiseptic soap, 11 cartons of Dettol Disinfectants, 1,200 bottles of hand sanitizers and 40 packs of facemasks.
