Lorine Emenike
Smiles greeted the people of Kalabari Kingdom as over four thousand, five hundred persons heaved a sigh of relief when they benefited from relief packages distributed by pan sociopolitical pressure group, Kengema Unity Forum, to the people of Degema, Akuku Toru and Asari Toru Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The Kengema Unity Forum whose primary objective is to cater for the interest of all people of Kalabari Kingdom matched words with action by providing over two thousand cartons of Indomie noodles, hundreds of bags of rice and beans to all and sundry irrespective of interest or political affiliation.
Leader of the KUF, Ambassador Sobomabo Jackrich said the need to ensure that people of the area especially youths do not resort to criminality in order to survive due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, necessitated the move.
The KUF leader equally commended efforts of the founder of Belema Oil, Tein Jackrich Junior, Mpaka Long-John and other political leaders in Kalabari for coming to the aid of the people during this time of difficulty, saying the group’s benevolence was not aimed at competing with anyone, but to complement the efforts of other political leaders in the area.
He urged other well-meaning individuals of Kalabari Kingdom to emulate the benevolent gestures of Engr Tein Jackrich Jnr whom he said has touched the lives of people in diverse ways across the country.
Sobomabo Jackrich, however, warned that the state may be at high risk of the Corona Virus Pandemic if adequate sanitary measures are not put in place in all markets across the state as they open for trading activities Tuesday and Wednesday in line with the directives of the state government.
He said the brevity of the time allotted for the market operation may lead to overcrowding and non-adherence to the social distancing policy.
On their part, some beneficiaries of the benevolent gesture of the KUF who spoke with our correspondent commended the group and its leader, Ambassador Sobomabo Jackrich for coming to their aid, saying the lockdown had made it practically impossible to feed.
