Olam Nigeria, a global agricultural firm, says the company has supported a number of states with food palliatives worth N250 million and public enlightenment on Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Mr Ade Adefeko, the Vice President, Corporate and Government Relations, disclosed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Monday.
Adefeko said the palliatives were to cushion the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic ravaging the country.
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He said that the company had also embarked on aggressive enlightenment and educational campaigns on preventive measures to guard against the spread of the virus in host communities where the company’s businesses are located.
“The palliatives and enlightenment campaigns are part of the company’s resolve to join other private sector establishments across the country in supporting the Federal Government’s effort to tackle the spread of the virus in the country.
“We decided to donate food relief like rice and pasta, among other items, to some state governments for onward distribution to the less-privileged and vulnerable, so as to cushion the hardship and hunger caused by the restrictions.
“Due to the scourge, we recognised that those at the bottom of the pyramid are facing challenging times more than ever before and need to be supported, hence our resolve to support them in our own little way.
“Another step we have taken is to provide enlightenment campaigns on COVID-19 protocols to be observed in the communities where we operate because adequate awareness on the ills of COVID-19 needs to be disseminated and properly understood,’’ Adefeko said.
Adefeko also said that despite the harsh impact of the COVID-19 on private businesses across the country, Olam’s preoccupation presently was the health, safety and well-being of its staff and citizens.
NAN recalls that the company recently donated more than 1,000 bags of 25kg of its rice product called ‘Mama Pride’ to the Nasarawa State Government as food palliative to people of the state to cushion the effects of the restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the virus.