By CHARLES IWUOHA

The administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Tertiary Education Trust (TET) Fund, have donated some food items to four major church groups in Enugu State, for onward distribution to their vulnerable and poor members.

The benefiting church groups are the Catholic Dioceses of Enugu, Nsukka and Awgu, the Anglican counterparts of Enugu and Nsukka Communions, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and the Internal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim.

The food items presented include rice, oil, tomato paste, Semovita and Indomie, among others.

Presenting the items on behalf of Governor Ugwuanyi, the Chairman of the Enugu State Emergency/Palliatives Committee and Deputy Governor of the State, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, said that the relief materials were to cushion the effects of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) lockdown on the people of the state, especially the lowly, vulnerable groups and the poorest of the poor.

Mrs. Ezeilo pointed out that the state government is not unmindful of the untold hardship the people of the state are passing through as a result of the lockdown, stressing that the food items will go a long way to mitigate their plight and enable them stay safe. The Emergency/Palliatives Committee has also distributed part of the food items to security agencies in the state.

According to the Deputy Governor, “His Excellency, our dear Governor is passionate and concerned about the safety, health and wellbeing of the people of this state. Since this COVID-19 lockdown started, he has ensured that the spread of the disease is contained and that the people, most especially, the vulnerable groups, the poorest of the poor in our society are assisted with food items and other palliatives.

“Today, we are distributing these food items to poor and vulnerable members in our churches through their women associations to cushion the effects of this pandemic in their lives”.

In their separate responses, the National President of Catholic Women Organization, Mrs. Nwanneka Okolo, the Wife of Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province (Anglican Communion), Mrs. Joyce Chukwuma, the representative of the PFN, Rev. Mrs. Ndidi Egbo and that of the Cherubim and Seraphim, Apostle Kingsley Nwachukwu, thanked Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration and the federal agencies for their benevolence and promised to deliver the items to the targeted people in their various churches.

Other members of the committee at the event include the Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi, the Leader of the House, Rt. Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon. Sam Ngene and his Information counterpart, Hon. Jeff Mbah.

Also present were the Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, Commissioner for Gender Affairs and Social Development, Rt. Hon. Princess Peace Nnaji, Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Adaonah Kene-Uyanwune, her Special Duties counterpart, Mrs. Mabel Agbo and the Executive Secretary of Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mrs. Nkechi Eneh, among others.

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