National Advocacy for PEACE Nigeria

*Covid-19: Lafarge support Cross River State response with an Ambulance.*

As Cross River state government continue to double its efforts in containing COVID 19 in the state, very few private individuals and corporate organizations have thrown in their weight to support the state government.

Today at the state ministry of health, the state COVID 19 response taskforce chairman, Dr. Betta Edu has received an ambulance and 50 water dispensing hand washing buckets from the management of Lafarge Africa Cement industry as part of their support to containing COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

She said the ambulance donated would help the taskforce in their incident action plan implementation, with focus on case management and the surveillance pillars. According to her the donation came as a huge blessing for the state. Dr. Edu applauded LAFARGE for their corporate social responsibility. “LAFARGE in their host communities distributed palliatives and supported primary health centers in these locations.

Receiving the items alongside the Commissioner for Health was, Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr Commissioner of finance and Secretary Covid-19 Response Taskforce who expresses his gratitude to the management of Lafarge for their support to the Cross River state government especially in the health sector. He urge other members of the public and corporate organizations to support the state government in the fight against COVID 19.

The management team led by the Head of Health and Safety Department, Mr. Johnson Akubueze handed the key of the brand new ambulance to the chairman, Cross River state Response Taskforce, Dr. Betta Edu in the presence of the DG CRSPHCDA Dr Janet Ekpeyong, DA SMOH Mr OMINI and others

PLEASE READ TO THE END. YOU MAY LEARN ONE OR TWO FROM THE PIECE.

As governor, I was on call 24/7 sometimes.
I got very angry and could take my anger on anyone. So, my chief of protocol bore the brunt one day. I had a reception for guests and he placed them in rooms, not the way I would have done it, but he didn’t do anything wrong. He used his own judgment. I would have done it the other way, but I over reacted.

I spoke very harsh to him. While I was doing this, my wife walked in and didn’t say a word.
She came in, did some things in my office and left. When I got back home in the evening, I’d forgotten about it. It’s just a normal event in the day. And she said to me, the way I spoke to that guy was wrong and that I had to go and apologise to him.

She said I had no reason to speak to anyone like that. I said, what!!! She said yes, I heard everything. The way you would have done it was different, but he didn’t do a bad thing. He used his discretion.

So you have now destroyed that, tomorrow he is not going to do anything discretionally.
He would wait for orders and then you will get irritated at that. You have made him lose his self-confidence and that is wrong. You need to go and apologise to him. Why should you speak to someone like that? Because you are a Governor?

I ignored her. I was in my room still fuming and she came back, and said I had to do it that night and not tomorrow because I kept saying I would do it tomorrow. She said no, tonight. That he was not going to sleep well and so I don’t have the right to sleep well when he was not sleeping well.

I said ok, we got into the car and we drove to his house. I knocked on the door and his wife turned in. They were about to go to bed because she was in her night gown already.

She saw me and was scared with the expression of, ‘Okay, you have come to fire my husband finally’. The guy came downstairs, so petrified. My wife and I walked in.
The wife wanted to get up and leave. And that was when i told the guy I came to apologise for my rude and harsh behaviour towards him and i said to him am sorry.

They all got emotional but I got relieved,it was like a load had been taken off me. I still got upset with things going up wrong, but I don’t get to a point i feel like iam too big to say sorry. And am learning to treat people better.

You can be referred to as your excellency today, but the best, it will only last for 8 years.
Senator,Minister, Perm Sec, CEO, DG etc, isn’t forever and we all know it's just a title and not a life time position.

Life is a stage, a platform for services unto God. So let everyone take heed. Forgive and have regard for human being. And God bless you richly.

Yours
Donald Duke