REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, RT. HON. (DR) SIMON BAKO LALONG, KSGG, EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF PLATEAU STATE AT THE FLAG-OFF OF DISTRIBUTION OF PALLIATIVES DONATED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR COALITION AGAINST COVID-19 (CACOVID) HELD AT JIB WAREHOUSE, JOS ON 5TH AUGUST, 2020.
PROTOCOLS

1. We are gathered here today to officially flag off the distribution of palliatives donated to the most vulnerable persons in Plateau State. These palliatives were donated by the Private Sector Coalition Against Covid-19 (CACOVID).
2. Indeed, we are most grateful to members of the Nigerian Private Sector who have demonstrated compassion in alleviating the suffering of the poorest of the poor in the society by raising funds to acquire these items.
3. As we are all aware, the Corona virus pandemic came with devastating impact that has ultimately affected the health and economy of Government and citizens. The most affected are vulnerable persons whose means of livelihood is virtually erased.
4. As a government, we took several steps towards ensuring that we did not only contain the pandemic, but also mitigate its impact on the lives of the people. This was even more crucial because of the series of lockdowns and restrictions we imposed in the course of managing the disease.
5. Realizing the hardship faced by the most vulnerable members of the society, we set up the Plateau State Palliative Committee headed by the Deputy Governor, his Excellency, Prof. Sonni Tyoden.
6. The Committee successfully distributed palliatives purchased by the State Government to the various categories of vulnerable persons which included orphanages, the elderly, widows and displaced persons among others.
7. Let me use this opportunity to commend the Deputy Governor and members of his committee for carrying out the exercise transparently and with all sincerity and fairness.
8. I wish to also thank all corporate organisations and well spirited individuals for their donations both in kind and in cash to the Plateau State Covid-19 Endowment Fund. All these boosted our capacity to reach out to the vulnerable, and also sustain the testing and treatment of those affected by the pandemic.
9. In today’s event, the gesture by CACOVID will definitely extend the frontiers of what we have been doing by reaching other vulnerable persons who did not benefit from the previous efforts.
10. For this distribution, CACOVID has set out clear criteria for identifying qualifying households that will benefit from the Food Relief Programme. Our role as a State is to facilitate this process based on defined guidelines.
11. The items being received today will be distributed by the State Implementation Committee which comprises of CACOVID Monitoring and Evaluation Team, Representatives of the Media, Representatives of Security Agencies and Representatives of the State Palliative Committee.
12. This implementation Committee will further organize for the representatives of all the Local Government Areas to collect the allocations for each LGA and oversee the redistribution to eligible beneficiaries in each Ward based on set guidelines and schedules.
13. CACOVID has set a target of two weeks for these items to be distributed to identifiable households under strict documentation. I have been reliably informed that each household will get some quantity of rice, pasta, noodles, sugar, salt, garri/semo/or maize.
14. Let me register most profoundly the appreciation of the people and Government of Plateau State to CACOVID for this kind gesture which again demonstrates their corporate social responsibility and high regards to the welfare of the people, despite the difficult times that businesses are facing as a result of the disease.
15. No doubt the intervention of both the business community and the private sector is greatly assisting the Government to cope with the huge challenges of managing the disease.
16. Interventions such as the 100 bed Isolation Centre donated to Plateau State by the Dangote Foundation in Shendam have greatly assisted us to isolate and treat those infected by the virus.
17. Here in Plateau State, we have increased our testing capacity as we have three testing centres at the NVRI Vom, Plateau Specialists Hospital and the University of Jos Teaching Hospital. These have enabled us to test about 500 persons per day and so far, we have tested over 15 thousand.
18. I wish to use this opportunity to remind our people that we are currently witnessing community transmission of the disease and as such, we should apply extra caution by strictly adhering to COVID-19 guidelines.
19. People should also submit themselves to testing because that is the only way we can have the requisite information to deal with the disease. We should also be ready to get used to the new lifestyle under COVID.
20. Finally, I wish to once again thank the Nigerian Governors Forum and CACOVID whose collaboration resulted into this donation. I assure all that we as a government will do everything within our power to ensure that the items reach the intended targets.
21. Thank you.

Rt. Hon. (Dr) Simon Bako Lalong, KSGG,
Executive Governor.
5th August, 2020.

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Gov. Lalong Flags Off Distribution of Palliatives Donated by Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19