Business Day (Nigeria)

Delta indigenous firm doles out COVID-19 palliative­s to vulnerable indigenes

…Urges community to ‘stay at home’

- MERCY ENOCH, Asaba

Midwestern Oil and Gas Company Limited and its Joint Venture Partner – Suntrust Oil Company Nigeria Limited has advised its host community to “stay at home and save yourselves from contractin­g coronaviru­s.”

The advice was given to 15 families of Ogbeani, Umusam and Umusagede Clans in Kwale, the oil-rich city in Ndokwa West Local Government of Delta State, by the oil company operating in their area, after donating some palliative­s to enable them cushion the effects of lockdown caused by COVID-19 in the state.

The families numbering 15, all got their portions of the foodstuffs and medical items from the firm.

The items donated included four bags of 100kg bag of beans, fifty-five 50kg bags of rice, 140 cartons of noodles (Hungryman-size), 20 gallons of palm oil, 280 of 1kg bags of salt, 2,900 gloves, 2900 face masks and 3,000 informativ­e flyers titled ‘ Midwestern COVID- 19 Safety tips.”

The benefiting families were Umuegwor, Umuachi Ossai, Umunze Ogbe and

Umuazaka Anie in Ogbeani Community. The rest were

Umuadabam, Umuagbor, Ukuokole and Umuoluem in Umusam Community. Others were Umuebo, Umueleke, Umuachi, Umuakala, Umualama Ossai, Umunze and Umubeneku in Umusadege Community.

The company ’s Managing Director, Charles

Odita, an engineer, told newsmen that the gesture was synonymous with the company’s Corporate Social Responsibi­lity (CSR) activities in the societies where they operate.

“This is the usual way that the company reciprocat­es the cordial relationsh­ip that it enjoys from the community. We hope that by this effort, the citizens are encouraged to abide by the orders of the state government, especially the stay-at-home order,” he said.

Odita further said that the event afforded the company an ample opportunit­y to preach the essence of social distancing, washing of hands and other best approach of staying away from the pandemic to their hosts.

The beneficiar­ies could not hold back their joy after receiving the gifts, hence they commended the company and Delta State Government for their efforts in containing the spread of the pandemic in the state.

 ??  ?? Anselem Nzete (right), public relations officer (PRO), Umusadege Community Accredited Contactmen Committee (Cacc),with members of Umubeneku family of Umusadege, during the presentati­on of foodstuff at the Head of Family’s residence.
Anselem Nzete (right), public relations officer (PRO), Umusadege Community Accredited Contactmen Committee (Cacc),with members of Umubeneku family of Umusadege, during the presentati­on of foodstuff at the Head of Family’s residence.

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