The Ondo State Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) has promised to put in place appropriate measures that will help reduce the effect of the deadly Corona Virus (Covid-19) in the state.
The governor, who likened the pandemic to the state of war said, his government will ensure that it minimises the effect of the deadly virus with the limited available resources in the state.
Mr. Akeredolu made this known during the flag-off ceremony of Coalition Against COVID 19 (CA-COVID) Palliative Items Distribution which held at the Ministry of Agriculture Central Warehouse in Akure.
Coalition Against COVID 19 (CA-COVID) is an initiative of a non-governmental organisation which is headed by Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, in collaboration with the Federal Government to provide food items as palliatives for the citizens.
He described COVID 19 as an invisible enemy that must be confronted frontally by individuals and communities. He said the outbreak of the virus had adversely affected both the lives and means of the livelihood of the people.
He said: "Many are carrying the bullet wound without knowing and many are already sent to early graves and many more might still go unless we brace up and do what is right as individuals and communities."
Arakunrin Akeredolu, however, recalled the various relief strategies that has been adopted by his administration to provide food items as palliatives to the people since the pandemic broke out.
"We started by setting up a palliative committee to gather and distribute food items to the people through the Local Government Distribution Committees. We ensured that the committees are truly representative in composition in terms geographical, gender, professional and religious spread". He added.
He further said that the first phase of the operation has been about to reach over 200, 000 households since the distribution of the palliatives started.
Also, the palliative distribution committee was able to reach the vulnerable and those in the hospitals; the sick, pregnant women and nursing mothers who needed special attention.
Mr. Akeredolu then thanked the organisers of Coalition Against COVID 19 (CA-COVID), Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr. Godwin Emefiele, for their collaboration with the Federal Government to provide food items for the masses.
He said the donated food items would take care of at least 50,000 households across the state. He also assured that there would be an equitable and fair distribution of the items across the state.
