BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – As part of its efforts in cushioning the effect of the lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state, the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) has donated two fully equipped ambulances, over 7,000 bags of grains, cooking oil and other items to the Bauchi state government.
Presenting the items to the State Government on Saturday, the Director Audit of the Commission, Alhaji Yarima Gashua, said the two ambulances and food stuffs donated would no doubt help in the fight against the COVID-19 disease in the state.
Gashua further said; “We are here to handover some items as a palliative measures. As you can see, we have two items, hospital equipment, which has already been given to you and now we are giving you other items”.
The Items donated according to him include 750 cartons of Macaroni, 7,000 of 25kg bags of rice, 500 bags of 25kg Maize flour, 1,700 gallons of vegetable oil, 1000 cartons of tomatoes paste, 2,000 packets seasonal cubes, 700 cartons of spaghetti, 750 packets of salt, 700 bags of beans, and two ambulances.
While receiving the items, the chairman of the State Taskforce on COVID-19 and Lassa fever, who is also the Deputy Governor of the State, Senator Baba Tela thanked the Commission for the gesture which he noted is timely.
Senator Tela said; “First of all, I would like to on behalf of the Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, convey our profound and heartfelt thanks to the NEDC for giving us these palliative items.
“We have come a very long way with them since the establishment of the commission and we appreciate what they have been doing not only for Bauchi State but to the North-East region.”
The Deputy Governor said that the State government reached an agreement with the commission on the establishment of a testing centre for the COVID-19 pandemic in the state as requested by the state government and will be sited at the Specialist hospital.
According to Tela; “The Bauchi State government has already identified the building that is going to house the testing centre and has provided the funds for the renovation of the building to the standard of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and my understanding is that the NEDC is going to provide the machinery required for the testing and we appreciate that”.
He also said that the state government has received protective equipment from the Commission that include 1,800 pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), two ventilators and 1000 pieces of surgical masks.
Other items received according to Tela are, 500 packets of ordinary face masks, 32 thermometers, 4000 packets of hand gloves and 4000 pieces of hand sanitizers which were provided about a month and half ago.
Tela said that the items received have since been put to use in the cause of the pandemic and promised that the new palliative items donated will go a long way in fighting the scourge of the COVID-19 in the state.
While assuring the Commission that the items donated will go down to the people that really need them, the deputy Governor said that the state government is also putting a lot of money in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
Tela further said; “The state government is going to substantially add to the palliative items so that it could reach the nooks and crannies of the state”.
