Akwa Ibom state government on Saturday said it would not accept the ten (10) very old and used vehicles donated to the state by ExxonMobil for COVID-19 contact tracing.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Udoh and made available to newsmen yesterday in Uyo.
According to the statement, government’s decision to reject the vehicles donated to the state last Friday, May 15, 2020, by the oil giant was taken at the state COVID-19 Committee meeting held next day being Saturday.
The statement noted that the state government, however, accepted the two ambulances and 20 hospital beds donated to the state by ExxonMobil.
It reads, “The Akwa Ibom state government has rejected the 10, very old, used vehicle donated by ExxonMobil for use in the COVID-19 contact tracing in the state.
“The decision was taken at the state COVID-19 Committee meeting yesterday following an evaluation of the vehicles and other donations to the state by the oil company.
“The vehicles are considered too old and not in good enough operational conditions of withstand the rigors of contact tracing which they were meant to serve.
” However, the state government has accepted the two ambulances and 20 hospital beds also donated by the oil company, despite the fact that the ambulances are converted buses while the beds are below the standard of those currently in secondary healthcare facilities in the state.
” The Akwa Ibom state government appreciates the continued support of corporate bodies and private individuals who have so far made cash or other material donations towards the fight against COVID-19 in the state”
The management of ExxonMobil had last Friday donated WHO-standard RNA COVID-19 test kits for 1,920 tests, 1000 units of sample collection kits, two ambulances, and 15 vehicles to the state government.
The company had said the efforts were guided by government agencies advice with regards to specific requirements and determining the areas of greatest need.