Anambra State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken steps in ensuring that a standard coronavirus testing centre is set up in the state.
The state chapter has also distributed relief materials and cash worth millions of naira to the poor and vulnerable people of society.
In a press briefing at the party’s state secretariat on Saturday, Chairman, Anambra PDP Palliative Committee, Chidi Onyemelukwe, said Anambra PDP had mapped out N125 million as a “post lockdown cash and other material welfare support” to Anambra residents.
Onyemelukwe explained that the fund, which was donated by members of the Anambra PDP family, would be channelled into “supporting our people, especially the most vulnerable ones, to get back on their feet”, while committing to set up a standard COVID-19 testing centre in the state.
“Anambra State, owing to its economic and commercial importance to our nation, deserves to have a COVID-19 testing lab in place. PDP Anambra State, is therefore committing to setting up a standard COVID-19 testing lab within 21 days of adequate space being provided by either the Anambra State Government or in the alternative, the Federal Government,” she said.
“We are therefore requesting the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Anambra State Government to provide us a space either at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi; the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka; or any of the hospitals in Anambra State, donated to the Federal Government by the Catholic Church; to set up a standard COVID-19 testing lab for this purpose.”
Each community in Anambra, according to Onyemelukwe, would receive N300,000 to enable them to give 60 least privileged families in each community N5,000 each to help them start life again, while food, cash and other items would be provided directly to each ward in each community.
Appreciating the generous donors, chairman of PDP, Anambra, Ndubuisi Nwobu said their sacrifices were laudable.
Former vice-presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who spoke through his media aide, Valentine Obienyem, and donated N40 million to the cause, disclosed that he was aware of the challenges facing the less privileged people of Anambra at this time.
Mr Obi said the COVID-19 testing centre was urgently needed to enable the government carry out more tests so as to ascertain the level of COVID-19 spread in the state.
