COVID-19: Provost Educates Host Community, Donates Relief Materials

Uchechukwu Nnaike

The Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical) Umunze, Anambra State, Dr. Tessy Okoli, has emphasised the need for enlightenment programme in the localities to prevent community transmission of Coronavirus disease. She said the campaign to prevent the spread of the deadly virus should be taken door-to-door in rural communities, where misconceptions abound.

Okoli said this when she led other management staff of the college to the palace of Igwe Promise Eze, Abilikete II of Umunze, to sensitise the host community on the need to adhere strictly to safety standards recommended by health professionals to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the area.

Present at the visit were the Deputy Provost, Dr. Christopher Ugwuogo; Bursar, Dr. Patrick Omile; the Librarian, Dr. Adolphus Ugwuanyi; the Chief Security Officer, Chukwuemeka Ijioma, the PRO, Sam Otti, among others.

Addressing the traditional ruler and his cabinet members, the provost decried the rising death toll from the deadly disease in different countries, adding that preventive measures need to be taken seriously by everyone, especially the compulsory use of face masks, social distancing, regular hand-washing and use of hand sanitizers.

She further explained that the college took a proactive step by producing low-cost face-masks and hand sanitizers to support the fight against the deadly virus.
She said the college management also took a decisive step by making the use of facemasks compulsory within the school premises, and urged the community to key into the directive of the Anambra State government on the compulsory use of face masks.

Okoli explained that scientists have been labouring without success to produce an effective vaccine for the disease and urged the members of the Igwe’s cabinet to take the campaign for personal hygiene and strict adherence to safety standards to the different villages in Orumba South Local Government Area.
To cushion the hardship imposed on less privileged families by the lockdown, the college donated relief materials, including 200 tubers of yam, bags of rice and beans to be distributed to families in need. The provost explained that the gesture was part of the college’s corporate social responsibility to the host community, whose economy had been affected by the six weeks lockdown and stay-at-home order by the government.

She commended Governor Willie Obiano for the proper handling of the index case in the state, and continued surveillance on border towns to ensure that Anambra remains free from COVID-19. She said the partial lifting of the restriction by the Obiano administration would help the people in the state to get back on their feet.

While receiving the relief materials, the monarch thanked the college for responding to the needs of the community. He said the college has demonstrated true love for the people of the community and promised that the palliatives would be judiciously distributed to families to alleviate their burdens. He prayed for God’s blessings on the college and its leadership, as he assured the provost of the continued support of the host community to the institution.

Also speaking, the Palace Secretary, Chief Benedict Maduagwu said the relief materials would bring smiles on the faces of families, whose lives had taken a pathetic downturn due to the Coronavirus pandemic.