It’s in time of crisis, not election, that you know true givers. It’s in time to give in order to answer critical needs of the people, who are not in position to pay you back through votes, then you will know men who truly loves their people.
Such time presented itself as a result of COVID-19 spread that forced government to lockdown businesses and movements. As the Chancellor of Gregory University Uturu stepped out in style to show that, indeed, he’s truly Okpara Abia. Our first son who will not sit back and watch his parents and people go hungry.
First, as a way of complementing efforts of the Abia State governments at various levels to mitigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chancellor of Gregory University Uturu, Prof Gregory Ibe, announced a comprehensive intervention package to assuage the current and anticipated harmful social, medical and financial effects of the global scourge, especially in Abia state, and across the nation in general.
In a personally signed statement, Prof Ibe particularly commended the strategies put in place and personally supervised by the Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, under the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Coronavirus, stating that with the combined effort of government and other critical stakeholders, the war against coronavirus would surely be defeated.
According to the statement, “It is therefore in the spirit of complementing the strategies currently being pursued by our state Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, to mitigate the possible outbreak of COVID-19 in Abia, that I have directed the immediate implementation of the following measures;
“Donation of equipment and facilities for establishment of a functional COVID-19 Isolation Centre within Abia North as a way of complementing the other centres already earmarked by government. All the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Coronavirus just needed to do is to provide a suitable facility for equipping with available medical facilities.
“The immediate supply of COVID-19 testing kits and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), for subsequent distribution to tertiary health institutions within the state and across the nation.
“The supply of 850 bags of rice for distribution to Abians through the Local Government Councils, at the ratio of 50 bags per LGA, as a way of mitigating the harsh realities of possible lockdown.
“The conduct of extensive research, jointly by the Gregory University Uturu Colleges of Pharmacy, Basic Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery, Natural and Applied Sciences, Departments of Biochemistry and Alternative Medicine, in order to discover and propose anti COVID-19 vaccines.
“The mass production of potent hand sanitizers by the Entrepreneurship Department of Gregory University Uturu, for subsequent distribution to Abians, especially those involved in the execution of essential services, including Health Workers, Security Personnel, National Union of Road Transport Workers, etc.
“The release and deployment of three (3) Gregory University Uturu Specialist Hospital medical ambulances to the state Inter-Ministerial Committee on Coronavirus to assist in shuttling suspected cases to designated places for medical attention.”
As if all these wasn’t enough, he mandated that all Gregory University Uturu medical facilities, both at Uturu and Amachara, be placed at the disposal of the state Inter-Ministerial Committee on Coronavirus, as all medical personnel working in these places were directed to be at stand-by in their duty posts throughout the duration of the war against COVID-19.
The constant fumigation of public places in selected parts of the state by the works department of Gregory University Uturu. While the media unit of the university was mandated to deploy all available publicity outlets in initiating, implementing and sustaining awareness campaigns on the pandemic.
It will be recalled that Prof. Ibe recently announced similar intervention in the education sector when he offered #350M worth of scholarship to 90 Abians from 17 Local government Areas of the state.
Judging by the above outlined interventions, Prof. Gregory Ibe became the single highest donor towards making sure that his Abia people did not only survive this period, but live through the lockdown.
Abians were still rejoicing on his intervention when he stepped out and announced another critical intervention. It was therefore a welcome delight to thousands of less privileged families in Abia state when Prof Gregory Ibe decided to deepen his spirit of philanthropy by complementing the initial efforts made by the state government by announcing the release of additional food items to the people.
In the second phase of his COVID-19 welfare package to the less privileged in the state, he commenced the direct distribution of 260 cartons of noodles and some bags of rice to the 17 Local government Councils of the state. Available information confirm that more than 10,000 cartons of noodles have been earmarked for distribution during the exercise, which will be complemented with simultaneous home-to-home delivery and market distribution of essential commodities in different parts of the state.
Prof. Greg lbe did not just stop at Abia State as he extended his goodwill to Imo State. To assist in the prosecution of the ongoing war against COVID-19 in Imo, Chancellor, Prof. Gregory Ibe graciously permitted the delivery of the following;
250 COVID-19 Test Kits
2 Thermal Digital Infra-Red Thermometers
600 Bottles of GUU Comprehensive Hand Sanitizers
150 Bottles of GUU Sniff-Sniff
50 Bottles of GUU Herbal Honey
50 Bottles of GUU Adonis Yellow
100 Pieces of Nose Masks
The GUU Fumigation Team, complete with chemicals for decontamination of public places for 4 days.
250 Cartons of Instant Noodles.
It’s important to note that he did all these at period when there’s no political rally or election at sight.
Below are some of the items donated;
