*As Prof. Ejike plans to work for their enrolment in FG’s palliative programmes
*Advises Disbursement Team to educate beneficiaries on dangers of covid-19
By Maurice Okafor (Enugu)
The Aguobu-Owa Peoples Palliatives Project (AOPP) has commenced the disbursement of palliatives to qualified indigent people drawn from the six villages in the two communities of Eziowa and Ozom, Aguobu-Owa.
Aguobu-Owa is the headquarter town of Ezeagu Local Government Area in Enugu State.
Inaugurating the Task Team for the disbursement of the palliative Tuesday, the National Coordinator of the AOOP, Ozo (Prof.) Chiweyite Ejike, advised the five-member body to always maintain the social distance and other protocols listed by the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health.
He maintained that “We have so far discovered about 150 extremely poor persons in the two communities, please use this opportunity to educate them on the ravaging effects and dire consequences of the corona virus pandemic.
“Ensure that you observe all the protocols spelt out by NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health, and do not allow people to crowd around you or let the beneficiaries or other people touch or hug you, as had been our culture.
“You must use this opportunity to educate them on the covid-19 pandemic, and please let them realise it is a reality, globally descimating lives and that they need to be alive to tell the story”, Prof. Ejike advised.
The former FUTO and UNIMAID Pro-Chancellor further explained that 36 people have been selected as benediciries in the first teache of disbursements, adding that they comprise of the elderly, infirm, physically challenged and people with mild mental problems.
According to him, six persons were selected from each of the villages of Umuezedume, Umuaji, Ogwofia, Ezema, Okunito and Umudim, adding that more people will benefit in the second tranche of disbursements to be made in few days time.
He called on the sons and daughters of Aguobu-Owa, as well as friends, well wishers and other philantropic Nigerians to please come to the aid of these indigent people.
“These are men and women who, in normal circumstances, find it extremely difficult to eke out a living. The covid-19 lockdown aggravated the debilitating situation of these people.
“I must add however that corona virus has equally not been bad news for us because it has helped the community develop data base of people in need of urgent intervention and who qualify by every standard to be listed in the federal government’s Conditional Cash Transfer Programme and the Federal Government’s Special Intervention Programme (SIP), as well as other palliative measures mapped out by the Enugu State government”.
He promised to make necessary contacts to secure the enrollment of the beneficiaries in the federal government’s CCTP and SIP, stressing however that none of them has a bank account, and that they have never been to the bank before.
