COVID 19: Groups laud NDDC on palliatives

From: Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

A coalition of Niger Delta youth groups has lauded the Interim Management Committee(IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), led by Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, over its commitment in cushioning the effects of the lockdown of states on Niger Delta people.

In a statement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State yesterday, the group commended the steps taken by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, under whose directives and supervision the IMC has demonstrated great supports to the people of the region to overcome the lockdown effects of the fight against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the area.

The document jointly signed by leaders of each of the coaltion group, – “Ogoni Movement for No Violence” Emmanuel Biebara, Coordinator, “Niger Delta Youth Movement” Joe Jack (Akwa Ibom) and “Urhobo Youth Council” Terry Obie, they noted that the IMC had exceeded expectations of the people, especially in providing support in fighting the killer COVID – 19 disease.

Part of the statement read, “…besides the release of grants to the nine states of the Niger Delta region, the IMC, sympathetic to the plight of Niger Delta people have also reached out with palliatives in the form of cash and food items to the youths and widows of the region.

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“On this score, we appreciate the efforts of the IMC which through the Special Assistant to the Acting MD on Youth Development, Amb. Alfred Etuk reached out to over 3,000 youths as well as about 150 widows of the region with palliatives ranging from cash to food items.”

They appealed to all stakeholders of the region to support the initiatives of the IMC, adding:

“The trend of spreading lies and propaganda against the IMC is unpatriotic, selfish, distracting and contrary to good conscience.

“We must also state that most of those attacking the COVID-19 reach out initiative by the IMC are those capable of even supporting the efforts of the IMC in their personal capacity. We also have it on good authority that the programme was strictly for the poor and indigent persons in the region.

“We therefore commend the IMC for adopting a different approach in directly reaching out to these persons.” they stated.

It would be recalled that the Commission has announced earlier that had committed over N1billion to assist governors of the nine states of the region in the fight against the pandemic, including N775 million worth of support in drugs and equipment to the sttes as well as another N270 million to fast-track the establishment of isolation centres in the 27 senatorial districts of the region.