Odahiekwu Ogunde
A foundation run by former President Goodluck Jonathan has donated different items, including foodstuffs to Bayelsa and other 19 states in its ongoing distribution of palliatives to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The organisation christened: Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, said efforts were underway to ensure that other states benefit from the gesture.
Head of Bayelsa Office of the foundation, Ms Gloria Dede, made this known on Friday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, while presenting some items to the Bayelsa State Government.
According to her, the gesture is to complement the COVID-19 response efforts of the various state governments.
Dede said, “Food items such as rice and beans, sanitisers and other sanitary materials have been donated to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the FCT and 20 other states.”
She mentioned some of the states that have benefitted so far to include Anambra, Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Ekiti.
Others are Kebbi, Taraba, Zamfara, Sokoto, Oyo, Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Rivers and Akwa Ibom.
Dede noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had brought about a devastating impact on economies and governance around the world, thereby affecting the lives and livelihood of millions of citizens.
She added, “For us at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, our gesture today is a way of complementing the efforts of different state governments by providing these palliatives to help cushion the economic impact in many homes.
“This presentation is an ongoing process and we are determined to cover other states in the country.
“So far, we have covered 20 states and some Internally Displaced Persons in the FCT.
”For Bayelsa, we are giving a token of 1,000 five 5kg bags of rice and beans to the state government as a way of complementing their lCOVID- 19 response strategy.”
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Benson Agadaga, thanked the foundation for its support.
He stated that Bayelsa aligned with the mission and vision of the GJF, as it is in tandem with his administration’s mission.
“We look forward to partnering with your Foundation in more areas so that we can build a peaceful, prosperous and inclusive Bayelsa,” he said.