Edo State Report:
Civil Society groups in Edo State under the aegis of the Edo State Civil Society Organisations, EDOCSO, have taken delivery of the third batch of food palliatives donated by the Edo State Government, for the benefit of indigent persons in the State. The government mandated the civil society network to coordinate the distribution process and ensure the palliatives get to the poor people for whom they are intended, as a measure to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of the partial lockdown imposed in the State, following the coronavirus outbreak. The items donated by the government are: 200 bags of rice, 200 sacks of beans, 200 bottles of groundnut oil, 50 packs of Semovita and 100 assorted soft drinks.
Pictures show a distribution of palliatives in progress, across the State
Edo State has witnessed a steady increase in the number of coronavirus-infected persons in the State. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) recently published a breakdown of cases by State, which showed Edo State having the 10th highest number of COVID-19 cases, amongst the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory. The State recorded a total of 218 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of May 26, 2020.
EDOCSO in partnership with Social Action, has consistently provided support to the Edo State Government in the quest to contain the spread of coronavirus in the State, by conducting monitoring and evaluation exercises across the State to ascertain the impacts of the pandemic on the people, raising awareness around the pandemic, and collaborating with the State Government to formulate policies and strategies needed to tackle the scourge. Earlier in May this year, food items donated by the government were distributed to several vulnerable persons including widows and low-income earners in Edo-South senatorial district. EDOCSO played a major role in the distribution by mobilising a network of civil society members in the different wards within Edo-South, to monitor the distribution process and ensure the palliatives are successfully handed over to the poor families. This informed the government’s decision to hand over the third tranche of palliatives directly to EDOCSO for onward distribution to indigent persons who have not yet benefitted from the relief materials donated by the government. All potential beneficiaries have been identified and the distribution has commenced accordingly.
EDOCSO will sustain and deepen its humanitarian efforts across the State by ensuring the relief materials are distributed to placate the poor families who have been the most-affected by the negative impacts of the pandemic. EDOCSO urges the people of the State to remain vigilant and observe all safety guidelines as directed by the NCDC and the State Government.