COVID-19: OCI Foundation hosted by Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Women Affairs (FMWA), as partnership solidifies (May 22. 2020).

On Friday, May the 22nd, 2020, a high-powered delegation of the OCI Foundation were guests of the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Her Excellency, Dame Pauline Tallen. The event, which was held at the Headquarters of the Ministry in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, was to mark the formal presentation of COVID-19 preventive materials to the staff in the Ministry, by the OCI Foundation. Among the materials delivered were hand sanitizers, liquid hand wash soaps, and customised OCI Foundation face masks. This is part of the OCI Foundation’s contributions to the fight against the COVID-19 fight in Nigeria. The Foundation has also been involved in the donation of food and cash palliatives to some of its members and the general public, and have produced some educative videos to help in enlightenment the public.

While receiving the materials, the Minister pledged that her Ministry will provide moral and technical support to the OCI Foundation in her quest to sensitize Nigerians on the dangers of breast and cervical cancers. She appreciated the organisation’s support and collaboration with the Ministry, and acknowledged their selfless services in the advocacy for girls and women on cervical and breast cancers.

Earlier, the Head of Advocacy of the Foundation, Mr Sam Agwa, stated that the presentation of the anti-COVID-19 materials was to support the Ministry’s staff, as the workers were gradually resuming duties following the total lockdown introduced to contain the spread of the virus across Nigeria. He also declared the Foundation’s support to the Federal Government of Nigeria and other healthcare leaders, in their call to Nigerians to practice COVID-19 preventive measures like safe social distancing, regular handwashing and sanitising, the wearing of face masks, and staying indoors as much as possible.

Mr Sam Agwa, who led the OCI Foundation’s delegation, was a former Special Assistant to ex-Governor Gabriel Suswam, who was the Executive Governor of Benue State of Nigeria from May 2007 to May 2015. Other members of the Foundation’s team at the event were Miss Felicia Dagu, Dr Ramatu Ibrahim, and Mr Luter Ikyuobo.

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Women Affairs is an official partner of the OCI Foundation’s Arm our Youths (ArOY) Health Campaign. The ArOY Campaign is an innovative, Harvard and WHO-endorsed health promotion initiative of the Foundation designed to introduce anti-breast and anti-cervical cancer teachings into the curriculum of all senior secondary schools in Nigeria. 

For pictures of this visit, click HERE.

For an official news report of the event, click HERE.

For clips of some speeches from the event, click HERE.