The management of the Ecobank Plc on Friday donated food items to support the Osun State Government in its bid to mitigate the effects of the lockdown in the state.
The Ecobank Head of Sales, Agric-business, Donald Abe, while delivering the food items to officials of the state government, said the gesture was aimed at complementing the efforts of the government at this critical time.
He said the organisation was motivated to reciprocate the warm relationship it enjoyed with the government over the years.
Abe, who led other officials of the bank to Osun State, commended the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for creating an enabling environment for business, commerce and industry to grow.
He said: “On behalf of the executive team of Ecobank, we have seen this gesture as a corporate social responsibility to support the state government in its efforts to stop the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.
“We are aware of the lockdown in the state and we have come to deliver 5kg of 1,000 bags of rice and 5kg of 560 bags of Gari as a token to complement the efforts of the state government at this critical moment.
“No doubt, the state government of Osun has done a lot for us and for the people of the state and this is a little way to reciprocate the kind gesture that we have received from the state government.
“We are calling on other corporate organisations and members of the private sector to rise in support of the government at this critical period.”
Receiving the food items, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Food Security, Adedayo Adewole, lauded the management of Ecobank on the gesture, describing it as timely and worthwhile.
Adewole, who appreciated the spirit behind the donation, noted that the gesture will go a long way to cushion the hardship that the state and her people are going through due to the restriction on movement of goods and services during the lockdown.
Adewole said the government was aware of the bank’s consistent corporate social responsibilities and assured it of continued support from the government.
“We are expecting other corporate organisations to support the state as the people are expecting a lot from the government during this period,” Adewole added.