We don’t give awards to criminals – Red cross

The Vice-chairman, Anambra State branch of Nigeria Red Cross Society, Peter Emeka Katchy, has said that the society
does not give awards to “criminals and people with questionable character”.

Katchy , who stated this at the 2017 World Red Cross Day celebration and Investiture/commissioning ceremony at Travellers
Hotel, reiterated that such people to be honoured were properly screened.

He said, “We give award to people we have examined their character and know that they are above board. We don’t give award to criminals and people because they can afford money. Our award does not need the condition to pay money for award because it is to encourage you for the humanitarian services you render,”

Katchy said as expert tracers, they had to trace the background of any person honour to know their background so as to know if you actually qualified for such an honour.

Earlier in his speech, the Ogbaru Divisional Chairman, Comrade Alex Onwuegbuka, urged the people honoured for their humanitarian services to live above board, saying that “to him whom much is given much is expected from him”.

In his response on behalf of the awardees, Chief Peter Okala, said the award would spur them to do more humanitarian services.

Okala who is the state Chairman of National Conscience party, (NCP), recalled that he first came into contact with the Red Cross Society
when he was the Special Adviser to the former Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area.

He said prior to this award he has been engaged in rendering such services which prompted Prof Katchy and the Ogbaru Division
Chairman to recommend him for the honour.

Okala frowned at the littering of roads in Anambra State with police road blocks and called on Inspector General of Police, IGP, to
immediately dismantle them.

He regretted that the area has become a fertile ground for his boys to extort money from road users despite his earlier order that the road blocks be dismantled.

Speaking, a former gubernatorial aspirant under Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Zeribe Ezeanuna, said he associated with the Red
Cross because of their humanitarian focus, stating that they have rendered so much to the people.

“They are out to show true love, and the Red Cross teaches us it is important to love one another. It is an organization all of us should embrace”, he stated.

Alphonsus Nweze, Awka