Delta State First Lady, Edith Okowa, has denied receiving N3.5 billion for her pet project, O’5 Initiative, from the Initiative for Global Development (IGD), a US-based organisation.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Mrs Okowa debunked rumours that IGD donated $10 million (N3.5 billion) to O’5 Initiative.
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It was alleged that her initiative received the funds during the recently-held United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, US.
Okowa said O’5 Initiative was invited as a registered organisation to the UNGA where she made presentations.
“I would like to state categorically that no memorandum of understanding has been signed and no financial commitment has been made,” she said.
“If my Initiative was given any money, I will be very glad but no money was given to it.”
Okowa said that the O’5 Initiative had enjoyed support in cash and kind from individuals and corporate bodies including banks and oil companies.
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She also said the organisation had conducted medical outreach programmes at the grassroots in the state in which 26,304 patients benefited in 2018.
“We have so far established 12 sickle cell centres in government-owned hospitals in Agbor, Oleh, Kwale, Okpe, Ughelli, Otu-Jeremi, Umunede, Issele-Uku, Patani, Emu and Moko, fitted with modern laboratory equipment, genetic counsellors and medical doctors,” she said.
