Former governor of Anambra State and the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2019 general elections, Peter Obi, a
Former governor of Anambra State and the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2019 general elections, Peter Obi, and some members of the party in the state have donated N125 million to the PDP to cushion the effects of coronavirus. Others who made donations include Senator Stella Oduah (N10 million), Senator Uche Ekwunife (N10 million), six members of the House of Representatives from the state who donated N5 million each, governorship candidate of PDP in the last election in the state, Oseloka Obaze (N1 million), four members of the party in the Anamba State House of Assembly (N1million) each, as well as officials of the party in the state.
PDP also announced yesterday that it would establish a well-equipped test center in the state and asked the state or the federal government to allocate a space to the party for the project. Mrs. Chidi Onyemelukwe, daughter of the late former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, who was appointed the chairman of the high- powered committee for the disbursement of the funds, said the test center would be ready as soon as possible if the site is provided for the party in the next 21 days. She assured that the committee would ensure proper disbursement of the funds to communities, particularly the poor ones in all the political wards in the state.
Onyemelukwe assured that the palliative would reach all parts of the state, adding that they would start with the less privileged in the society. According to her, each of the 181 communities in the state would get N300,000, while 60 selected poor families in each community would get N5000 immediately. Similarly, each political ward would receive N105,000 during the first phase, while the local government areas would get theirs during the second phase.
She also said that three health institutions would get N12 million each for upgrading of isolation centers. The institutions are Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka and the General Hospital, Onitsha. Also speaking, the secretary of the committee, Akirika, said members of the committee would painstakingly search for the poorest in the various communities as beneficiaries of the palliative.
Anambra State chairman of PDP, Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu, commended the donors, assuring that the funds would reach the poor people in all the communities. Inaugurating the committee at the PDP secretariat in Awka, Nwobu urged the people to continue to take precautionary measures to avoid contracting the virus.
