The Civil Society Organization Response Team on the COVID-19 disease in official partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO); UNICEF; Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC); National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Rivers State Ministry of Health has flagged-off COVID-19 Community Awareness Campaign against the pandemic as well as the launch of the United Nations COVID-19 verified web-portal in Rivers State.
The event which held at Elele in Ikwerre Local Government Area over the week was also in partnership with the Vintage Industrial Layout, Elele.
In a speech presented by the National President of the Civil Society Response Team on COVID-19, Amb. Emmanuel Nkweke, the commended Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for his dogged fight against the health crisis and urged the support of everyone in this regards to stay safe and alive.
He informed the audience that the seminar was anchored on the flag-off of the community based campaign on the use of face-masks, hand sanitizing, hand washing as well as the unveiling for the first time of the United Nations verified web-portal to promote accurate and verifiable fact-based information on COVID-19 as against fake news, disinformation and misinformation.
Amb. Nkweke further disclosed that since the UN official launch of the verified initiative on Thursday May 21, 2020 it has been empowering Civil Society Organizations to share and promote solidarity on the challenge.
According to him, “the verified web-portal will help Nigerians to be abreast with accurate and verifiable information concerning the coronavirus. It will help to promote and diminish fake news, hate speeches and unwarranted stigmatization of persons with COVID-19.
It will also provide Nigerians the opportunity to gather intelligence on the dealing with the pandemic. While calling on various state committees on COVID-19 and other CSOs working on the coronavirus to make use of the web-portal, they on their part will commence seeking for assistance to acquire the state of the arts equipment and other devices that will enable them in supplying the needed information to the UN on the activities of Rivers State on the pandemic.
The CSO president used the opportunity to further disclose that his team has carried out several activities in the health crisis including the provision of palliatives to selected citizens, hosting public health enlightenment campaigns; checking of compliance level during lockdown in Rivers State and embarking on community sensitization programmes to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in the communities.
Amb. Nkweke equally used the opportunity to commend the Chief host of Vintage Industries Plc, Elele; Eze, Sir Mike Elechi for all he has been doing in support of the COVID-19 fight to save his people from the pandemic as well as other philanthropic activities to reduce the suffering of the down trodden in the society.
Earlier, some of the civil society COVID-19 Response Team field surveillance officers including Chief, Amb. (Mrs.) Grace Opara and Amb. Cecy UK Nwogu lectured on the correct use of the face-masks, demonstration of regular hand-washing and sanitization to avoid the scourge as well as the local method of making them and other Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs).
The other stakeholders at the event including the Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Barr. Young Ayotamuno; UNICEF head in Rivers State, Dr. Guy Marie Yogo and the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Princewill Chike, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as represented including the Chief Host, Eze, Sir Elechi in their separate speeches thanked the CSO for their advocacy and sensitization especially at Elele. They disclosed how they too in their various ways have been engaged in support of the COVID-19 fight, stressing that the disease is real and deadly and the need for everyone to observe personal hygiene regularly and be safe.
The Chief Host, Eze Mike Elechi who actually unveiled the UN verified web-portal said he was happy to partner with the advocacy group and accepted to chair another seminar of the group on Thursday 11th June, 2020 at Port Harcourt as part of his Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility.
He promised to do all within his power to support the State government not only to stop the pandemic spread but to reduce the sufferings of the less privileged in the society.
Highlight of the event was the distribution of face-masks, hand gloves and alcohol based sanitizers made by the Vintage Farms Plc to the participants as well as pamphlets containing useful information about the COVID-19 disease including the decontamination of the estate and demonstration on the washing of hands on soapy waters provided by the Chief Host.
