How Osun commissioner extended aid to 10, 000 Ilesa households

Published by

5 years ago

For many Nigerians, this period is a challenging one especially for people whose livelihood depends on daily income from hustles on the street. The lockdown and partial operation in some states have made many to lose their sources of income and surviving on a daily basis has become a herculean task. This is why many now depend on others and even some who take pride in being self sufficient have had to seek assistance from family and friends.

Indeed, at this period, the communal way of living has helped many as people that have to spare have in their little ways risen up to the challenge of being their brother’s keeper. And it is based on this that the Osun state Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr Oluremi Omowaiye, went back to his roots to give back and ensure he contributes his quota to making life easier on the people.

His efforts which is mainly to improve the lot of people badly affected by the economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic by lightening the immediate burden of lack touched 10, 000 households as he distributed relief materials packaged by him with support from his friends from different walks of life.

His initiative which was described as a timely intervention was also an effort to ensure that people who had left their sources of livelihood to comply with the lockdown order of government as parts of effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, need some form of assistance while they gradually get their footing back.

The project which he tagged the Ilerioluwa Covid-19 relief package was in two phases; the first stage which spanned two days touched 4000 households while the second phase touched 6000 households as he went around with his team to give packages which include food items and money to people in their homes.

At the end of the initiative, a total of 200 bags of rice, 250 bags of beans, 200 bags of garri, 250 cartons of noddles, 5000 mini bags of semo, 800 crates of eggs and 500 tubers of yam including millions of naira used for cash support were distributed.

The initiative which was primarily to give succour to numerous families and also aid the efforts of the state government in making it easier for people to survive before activities return to normal within the state traversed the length and breadth of communities in Ilesa. And to ensure that the principle of social distancing is strictly maintained, he did not select a location for people to gather for collection, rather, the commissioner’s palliative train which started from Ilesa West Local Government Area of Osun State moved from one family compound to another and covered the area street by street.

Omowaiye’s team did not leave out communities like Osu, Iwara, Ifewara and other communities in Atakumosa West Local Government Area of the state. And at every point, he also educated the people on the need to continue with personal hygiene and observing laid down guidelines in preventing the spread of the virus.

Omowaiye during the distribution told the people that government was conscious of the difficulties caused by the lockdown in the state and the challenge of meeting up after spending weeks away from their businesses and inability to attend to their various economic activities, but assured them that the siege would soon be over as Governor Gboyega Oyetola was doing everything humanly and medically possible to not only curtail the spread of Covid-19 but also ensure that things returned to normal as early as possible.

Omowaiye, who said the governor deserves commendation at this crucial time in the state’s socioeconomic life explained that he could not have pulled off the initiative successfully without assistance from friends. “I got support from some of my good friends for Ilerioluwa palliative for the people of Ilesa West and Atakumosa West local government areas of the state to reach out to people in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic economic trouble. Initially, we had a target of 4000 households but it was simply overwhelming because everybody, even the rich, wanted palliatives. So we had to move to the second stage which covered 6000 households.

“This is indeed a trying time for us. We must all rally round every form of support for the government irrespective of our political affiliation. I appeal to our people to bear with us. It is no doubt a tough time for us but I must sincerely commend Governor Oyetola for his outstanding leadership so far. He has provided an exemplary leadership in this trying time,” Omowaiye said while calling on well-to-do people in the society to lend helping hands to the needy as part of their support to kick out Covid-19 from the land.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING

COVID-19: Buhari May Announce New Policy Monday
President Muhammadu Buhari may on Monday announce new measures as the nation battles to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Towards this, on Sunday, the president received a briefing and recommendations on efforts further contain the spread of the virus from the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on… Read full story

Lagos Considers Full Reopening Of Economy
Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said on Sunday that the state government is considering full re-opening of the critical sectors of its economy, but quickly noted that the move would not be pushed in a hurry. The governor gave this indication while at a briefing after the State’s Security Council meeting held at the… Read full story

MONDAY LINES: Agboola Gambari’s Burning Grass
What should Nigeria expect from you as Chief of Staff?”: “I don’t report directly to the nation; I report to the president.” “What should he (the president) expect from you? What can you assure him?” “I think you should ask the president. I give him my loyalty, competence and support.” “What will be your guiding principle as Chief of Staff?”… Read more

COVID-19: Ganduje, Deputy, Political Office Holders’ Salaries Cut By Half
Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje, his deputy, all commissioners and other political office holders from the month of May would receive half salary due to COVID-19 pandemic challenges on the state’s… Read full story

Israel’s Netanyahu Sworn In As Head Of Long-Awaited Unity Government
Israel’s parliament has sworn in a new government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former rival Benny Gantz, ending the longest political crisis in the country’s history, Aljazeera reports. After more than 500 days without a stable government and three inconclusive elections, lawmakers in the… Read full story

EDITORIAL: The Infectious Diseases Bill
THE spontaneous anger triggered by the bill titled Infectious Diseases Control Bill 2020 has subsisted because of the resolve by the leadership of the House of Representatives to stick to its gun on the matter. The bill is being sponsored by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamilla; Pascal Obi, the chairman, House Committee on… Read full story

Buhari Receives PTF Report On COVID-19 Containment Effort
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday received a report from the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the COVID-19 pandemic on the effort at the containment of its spread. The task force led by its chairman and Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, met the president at his… Read full story

WHO To Kick Off International Meet Amid US-China Tensions
The World Health Organization will on Monday kick off its first-ever virtual assembly, but fears abound that US-China tensions could derail the strong action needed to address the COVID-19 crisis. The World Health Assembly, which has been trimmed from the usual three weeks to just two days, Monday and Tuesday… Read full story

The Coming Anti-Christ And The Africans
This is an imaginary essay. But it fits in with the economic, geopolitical and spiritual realities of our world today. By a dream-vision, I was taken to the Infernal Kingdom where I beheld Satan sitting on his throne with glittering pomp. The powers and principalities were paying obeisance to him, prostrate on the ground… Read full story

How Businesses Can Thrive During Peak And Trough
Business never follows a linear path. Rather, business runs in cycles; boom and bust, peak and trough, good and bad, great and tough. However, irrespective of the cycle in which a business finds itself, the stakeholders’ expectations remain unchanged – value must be delivered to them; customers expect quality… Read full story

Speaking Against Evil Is Not An Act Of Disobedience
What is good becomes bad, when it is done at the wrong time. Also, it is good to be hushed and silent, but when you are silent and still when you are to speak out, silence becomes bad. Sleep is good, but when done at the wrong time, it becomes bad. It is good to rest at home, but when you rest at home at the wrong time… Read full story

Leadership: Lessons Along The Way – 2
In the course of fulfilling your life assignment, many people will be engaged in the process, for good or for ill. You will be making the greatest mistake of your life by assuming that just because people gleefully got involved with what you are doing translates to their being committed to you. Those who are committed to… Read full story