Imo State Inaugurates Covid-19 Task Team on Emergency Response to Petrol, Food Products Movement

Owerri, May 13, 2020 The National Joint Technical Task Team on Emergency response to COVID-19 on challenges of Food and Agricultural inputs movement into Imo state has been inaugurated.

Imo State Commissioner of Police and Chairman of the Team, CP Isaac Akinmoyede who performed the inauguration ceremony on May 12, at the conference hall of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture along Portharcourt Road, Owerri said the team was established as a result of challenges of movement of food and agricultural products in the country due to lockdown and closure of borders occasioned by Coronavirus pandemic.

Akinmoyede was represented by the Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr Hamman Joda Barka at the ceremony.

He said the presidency is worried about the challenges and difficulties encountered by drivers in the movement of food, agricultural and petroleum products to states which if not addressed might cause much hunger in the country.

Ainmoyede charged members of the team to take the assignment very serious as it would enable the government check food scarcity in the country during covid-19 lockdown and closure of borders across the country.

Speaking, the State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Christian Iwuchukwu, the Secretary of the team said the task team would ensure there is food security in the state during coronavirus pandemic.

Iwuchukwu said that the team had been inaugurated at the federal level with the Inspector-General of Police as the chairman.

He said the inauguration was a directive from the presidency that the team be replicated in all the states of the federation including the local governments.

In their separate speeches, the members of the team thanked the Federal Government for establishing and inaugurating the team in Imo state.

They said that most of the foods, agricultural and petroleum products came from outside the state and if not well handled might hamper the transportation of the items into the state which might cause hunger to the people.

Members of the team are Imo State, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Issac Akinmoyede, Chairman of the Task Team, Mr Christian Iwuchukwu, Director Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Imo state, the Secretary of the team.

Other members are Chief Chris Akaraonye, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Imo state Council, Mr Ibrahim Danladi of NSCDC, Comrade Franklin Ucheghara, NURTW Chairman, Dr Vitus Enwerem, Chairman All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Imo state chapter and Comrade Gabriel Osuji, NARTO Secretary, Imo state.