Covid-19: Community Leader Seeks Support For Less Privileged

The President-General, Nnewi Town Union, Nzuko-Ora Nnewi, Mr Ugochukwu Udemezue, has called on members of the community to support one another in getting out of the hardship caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

Udemezue made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Tuesday.

He said that it was time for the wealthy people in Nnewi community to care for each other by way of financial and material empowerment.

“These empowerment would enable the lowly to pick up on their business as the lockdown had been relaxed,” he said.

Udemezue said that COVID-19 pandemic had affected in the negative, business of the people in no small way.

He appealed to the rich among them to support the less privileged among them so as to sustain their business.

“I want to believe that Nnewi people are still known for being their brothers’ keepers. I appeal to us all to look around us in our various villages to support those whose business are likely to fold up; let’s support each other now,” he said.

Udemezue said that some Nnewi individuals based in America had started living up to their tradition through the palliatives they sent for the upkeep of the poor because of COVID-19 pandemic.

“Five hundred and sixty vulnerable individuals in Nnewi have received various food items from the indigenes of Nnewi living in America under the umbrella of Nnewi USA-NUSA as part of palliatives to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on them.

“NUSA, expended over N4 million for the intervention; its worthy of emulation. So other Nnewi people need to sustain the gesture shown by our brothers abroad,” he said.

The president-general said that the palliatives sent by the Nnewi people in America and which had been distributed included 560 bags of rice, 560 bags of beans and 560 cartons of noodles.

“These items are no small gifts and will go a long way to assuage the hunger caused by the COVID-19 pandemic among the poor people. It was a kind gesture well appreciated,” Udemezue said.

He, however urged other privileged individuals and groups in Nigeria and in diaspora to extend similar gesture to the needy in the community that would aid them to pick up fast from their business.

He said that the wealthy people from the four quarters of Nnewi community namely, Umudim, Uruagu, Otolo and Nnewi-Ichi could identify the vulnerable individuals in their areas and empower them back to business.

Udemezue said that the rich ones could liaise with the President-Generals of the four quarters of Nnewi community for even assistance.