Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has donated food items valued at several millions of Naira to Soku, a riverine community in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, to cushion the effect of the cholera outbreak, it suffered months ago.
The donation is in fulfilment of the promise made to the community by the State Representative on the Board of the NDDC, Sir. Tony Okocha, when he visited the community during the outbreak.
At least 11 persons reportedly died in the community following the influenzer which was traced to the consumption of dirty, contaminated underground well water.
Soku although an oil-producing community, lacks access to clean and potable drinking water, residents of the community depend on water from shallow wells for their drinking water and their daily chaos.
The community during the cholera outbreak sent a Save-Our-Souls (SOS), appeal to the NDDC through the office of the State Representative.
In a swift response, the commission embarked on a five-day medical outreach to the area, providing full medical exercise with several medical doctors, trained nurses and medical professionals to stop the spread and its consequential rising death toll.
Okochaa led the team for the medical exercise. It was during the event he had first-hand knowledge of the difficulties being faced by the people and promised a comeback to put real smiles on their faces.
It was in the fulfilment of the promise that he embarked on the trip yesterday, to present to them among others, 400 bags of 12kg rice, bags of beans (400), cartons of indomie (200) tubers of yam (198) Cartons of bottled water (200) Tooth Paste (20) cartons 0f Maggi cubes (20) cartons of Groundnut oil (20) Slippers (13) packs Mosquito net (5) dozens, bags of Salt(20), 20 bags of grinded sugar and 159 bags of garri.
Presenting the items to them, Okocha said, the essence of the relief materials is to cushion the harsh effects of the cholera outbreak in the communities months ago.
He reiterated that NDDC’s core mandate is to prioritize the well-being and welfare of the people of Niger Delta.
The State Rep. commended the people for their peaceful disposition and support to the medical team during the cholera outbreak medical outreach to their community and urged them to ensure that they share the Palliative items equitably.
He appealed to them to always support the government of President Ahmed Tinubu, as a way to reciprocate the President’s kind gesture through the NDDC.
He disclosed the NDDC plans to construct a Mega Solar-powered Water facility in the community this week to address their drinking water need.
The Rivers Rep thanked the Board and Management of NDDC, ably headed by the Chairman, Chiedu Ebie and the MD/CEO of NDDC, Chief Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, for repositioning the Commission into an active and feasible Interventionist Agency.
Receiving the items on behalf of the communities, the Chairman of Soku Council of Chiefs, Opuda Orumo expressed the community’s gratitude to NDDC for always coming to their rescue in their time of need, and Okocha for acting swiftly to save the lives of the people during the cholera outbreak as well as getting the community food items and the proposed water project.
He reaffirmed the loyalty and support of the Soku people to the government of President Bola Tinubu.
