Edo State Government’s COVID-19 fundraising efforts received a big boost on Thursday when, the Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), Mr. Osagie Okunbor and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Prof. Lilian Salami, threw their weight behind the initiative.
They called on Edo sons and daughters to join in collectively combating the coronavirus pandemic in the state.
Both of them made the submission during the inaugural meeting of the Edo State COVID-19 Fundraising Committee held virtually, to mobilise resources to buffer government’s efforts at containing the spread of the deadly virus.
Mr. Okunbor, who maintained that there was a need for government to continue to drive communication for people to stay at home, said it was brilliant to balance the economic realities of the times with the challenge of coronavirus.
According to him, “We need to ensure that we deploy communication channels to reach more of our people. So, it is important to engage with them.
“Balancing the spread of the economic circumstances with the effects of the spread of the virus is important as well. Trying to get people to stay at home is important. That is why getting workers from level 12 and below to work from home is a good idea. It has been done in Lagos and Abuja. The lower cadres of staff are working from home there. I also want to stress that it is important for people to comply with the usage of facemasks.”
Prof. Salami, on her part, said it was important for the committee to coordinate the donations from Edo indigenes within the state and the Diaspora so that there would be cohesion, noting, “Our people need to be galvanized at a time like this. So, we would break into sub-committees to work and ensure we deliver on our mandate and take more ideas to the governor. So, I believe it is important for us to do this together.”
