The Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, has commenced the distribution of N85m cash as palliatives to 17,000 households in his Delta Central Senatorial district to cushion the effects of the coronavirus induced lockdown.

This was contained in a statement signed his Senior Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr Yomi Odunuga.

He said N5,000 cash would be given to each household beginning from Kokori Inland in Ethiope East Local Government Area, one of the eight local government areas which make up the senatorial district.

Odunuga said the exercise, which is being coordinated by Innocent Anidi, was without discrimination.

According to him, 200 households from each of the 85 wards in the senatorial district would benefit.

In a message to his constituents, the deputy senate president appealed to them to take the threat posed by the coronavirus disease seriously and obey health instructions aimed at stopping its spread.

The statement read in part: “The eight local government areas in the senatorial district include: Ethiope East, Ethiope West, Okpe, Sapele, Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Udu and Uvwie.”