Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State says the state government is yet to receive any support from the Federal Government in the fight against COVID-19 in the Southeastern state.
In a statement made available to Igbere TV on Monday, Chief John Okiyi-Kalu, the state Commissioner for Information, urged residents to ignore any report that says otherwise.
“Please ignore the sponsored lies and propaganda from those who live by propaganda,” the Commissioner told Igbere TV.
He said all efforts made so far to cushion the effects of the lockdown and prevent outbreak of the pandemic in the state were products of the state government.
The Commissioner said Abia was among the four states listed but yet to benefit from the Federal Government’s National Social Investment Program (NSIP).
“All the palliative food distribution done in Abia State as well as the construction of new
isolation centers are projects of Abia State Government led by Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.
“Our state has also not received any money from the social investment fund as we are among the four states yet to benefit.”
He added that the state government is responsible for the construction of the new Isolation Centre in Ogbor Hill, Aba and not the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as being alleged.
“That project is 100 per cent funded by Abia State Government and we hope to hand over the facility to Abia State University Teaching Hospital afterwards. No single living Abian is contributing one kobo to the construction and equipping of the new isolation center. It is the same for the others previously readied by the administration.
“Abia State Government led by Dr Okezie Ikpeazu is investing all the resources required in preparing our isolation centres, provision of PPEs, ventilators etc for the safety and protection of our people against coronavirus.
“No single grain of rice or any other food stuff has been received by the state from the federal government as rumored by same propagandists. Abia State Government procured the rice and other foodstuff distributed to the needy through the churches and added the 850 bags of rice donated by Prof Greg Ibe. So far, we have procured more than 8,000 bags of 50kg rice and other items such as beans, yam, face masks, hand sanitizers etc. We have also distributed the 2,000 cartons of Indomie donated by our brother Chrisnak.
“Distribution of palliatives to our people will continue today and run throughout the lockdown period. Aside from Churches, we are also distributing through the state’s geriatric services agency, traditional rulers and presidents general of communities in our state,” the statement added.
