COVID-19: Igbo Speaking Community Calls For Urgent Family Support Measures

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

As Government intensifies the enforcement of the sit-at-home measures to further curtail the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 virus on rampage in Lagos, the leadership of Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos, a socio-cultural organisation, has called on the Government to expedite action in providing some support for poor families to avoid starvation and possible civil disobedience.

P.M.EXPRESS reports as stated by the President General of the Union, Chief Sunday Udeh.

The group, which prides itself as most patriotic sociocultural group in Lagos, thanked President Buhari for his address to the Nation stressing that such is very crucial to the faith and spirit of the Nigerian populace in this troubled times adding that a sick nation needs to maintain a high morale to help it fight through its present challenges.

The President General of the group, Chief Sunday Udeh, explained that although the President’s address was a welcome development, the speech however said nothing about supporting poor families that had been sitting at home for weeks already following the partial shutdown in the state and now a total shutdown as declared by the President as from 11pm on Monday night.

He argued that while the trending COVID-19 remains a huge threat to nations of the world, hunger is equally as deadly, hence Government must be very quick to extend support to families before a new killer emerge from the homes like other Nations are doing to help their citizens curtail the unfortunate hardship.

It will be recalled that the Lagos State Government had earlier announced a support package for families during the sit at home exercise with the Federal Government set to fully shutdown badly affected states such as Lagos, Ogun and Abuja to avoid further spread to other states.

With the current case at 135 confirmed cases, 6 cases have been discharged and 2 deaths from COVID-19 recorded in Nigeria as at Tuesday 31st March as released by the NCDC. 

The Lagos State Government, on Sunday, had disclosed that it had engaged no fewer than 4,000 registered Community Development Associations (CDAs), Non-Governmental Organisations and religious leaders to distribute the economic stimulus package unveiled for the indigent and the most vulnerable in the society.

The stimulus, which comes in food packs, to be distributed to every Local Government in the State, is aimed at cushioning the effects of the 14-day stay-at-home directive of the State Government as stated by the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal.