Four years after he became the first governor to articulate a stimulus package in the midst of Nigeria’s first recession in 25 years, Anambra’s Chief Willie Obiano has announced a welfare package to help ameliorate the economic hardship arising from measures to combat the Coronavirus rampaging the world.
In a directive on Saturday to the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Town Union Affairs, Mr. Greg Obi, Governor Obiano instructed that each of the 179 communities in the state be given 200 bags of the popular brand of Anambra Rice for distribution to people up to 60 years.
Though there are 179 communities in Anambra State, an additional 400 bags will be distributed because Onitsha and Obosi are given double of what every other community receives on account of their large populations.
The distribution will start on Wednesday.
“We will start with any community that first sends its list of elderly men and women in our society”, says the governor.
Chief Obiano has consequently asked the traditional ruler in every community and the president general of every town union as well as the women leader of the Association of Anambra Town Unions (ASATU) in the community to quickly send to the Ministry of Local and Chieftaincy Affairs a list of qualified men and women which has to be signed by them.
Meanwhile, Chief Damian Okeke, President of the Anambra State branch of Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural organization of the Igbo people, has lauded Governor Obiano for the new initiative which he called “a clear demonstration of solidarity with vulnerable groups in society in these hard times”.
In an interview with newsmen On Sunday, Chief Okeke said: “With various state governments locking down their states and with all markets in the state scheduled to be closed down from Monday to protect our people from the Coronavirus popularly known as COVID-19, it is imperative that something be done for these groups.
“We are not surprised that the state administration has done something to ameliorate the plight of the elderly because it has since coming into being six years ago shown an acute interest in the welfare of the people through prompt pension and salary payment and through the annual delivery of a bag of rice to all kinds of people, including all retirees”.
The gesture to the elderly has also earned praise from the President General of the Ihiala Progress Union (IPU), Chief Okey Chukwu.
In a statement in Enugu yesterday, Chief Chukwu, an accountant, banker and entrepreneur, expressed delight “that Chief Obiano could provide for so many bags of rice at a time he is building Africa’s largest international conference centre with a 10,000-sitting capacity, which is scheduled to be ready this year, and also building perhaps Nigeria’s largest airport which, according to the Anambra State Council of Elders led by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, should be delivered in 15 months’ time.
“It is truly amazing that these capital intensive projects, among others, are being executed without a single bank loan.
“Developments like these ones make each of us proud to come from Anambra State”.
Photo: Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano.
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