Following the 14-day lockdown declared by many states in the country over the Covid-19 pandemic, former President General of Ikenga Ogidi Union and community leader in Anambra state, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Obianagha has raised the alarm over impending hunger.
Obianagha warned that unless palliative measures were urgently put in place to cushion the effect of the lockdown, hunger and starvation that faced people during the civil war would be a child’s play to what laid ahead of the masses.
While addressing journalists on Wednesday in his Ogidi country home, Obianagha advised that funds donated in response to fight against the scourge be channeled towards buying foodstuffs and be distributed to the citizens, particularly to children.
He said, “A situation where people are forced to stay at home, markets are closed and some banks are not working for a period of 14 days spells dare consequences on the populace.
“All funds donated in response to fight against the scourge should be channeled towards buying foodstuffs which should be cooked and distributed to the citizens, particularly to children.
“School compounds should be used for the distribution using traditional rulers of various communities and volunteers be recruited to assist. If you wait for their parents, hunger will kill a lot of children.”
While warning that money must not be shared in place of food to avoid it being diverted, the community leader insisted that palliatives must be put in place as it was the case during the Civil War.
“Nigeria is presently in disarray. For one to stay at home for two weeks with banks closed is enough suffering. Even with ATM, only three persons can queue up at a time,” he decried.