APC questions Governor on FG rice distribution
All Progressives Congress in Delta State has again accused Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led administration of hoarding and diverting the truckloads of rice sent to the state by the Federal Government.
The Publicity Secretary of the Delta APC, Mr Valentine Onojeghuo, who spoke in an interview with our correspondent, alleged that the rice sent to the state by the Federal Government for distribution to the poor people was being shared among government cronies.
But Bayelsa’s Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu, who is Chairman of the state’s Palliative Committee, refuted the claim by the APC.
Emu, in a text message reaction to our correspondent, said, “The only rice we received from agents of the Federal Government, through RISPAN was 24,000 (25kg) bags of rice, which have been judiciously distributed according to their prescription. We have also made returns by way of feedback. We have not received the latest 20 trucks.”
But the APC publicity secretary insisted that the rice was being hoarded.
Onojeghuo said, “We, the APC members, were not even informed, we didn’t get any palliative either as a political party or as Deltans. When you ask any vulnerable person in the APC, they will tell you they did not receive anything.
“The palliative that came was handed over to the governor who handed it over to the PDP. It was shared among the PDP members. It was treated as a party affair and not something for the entire stat
“They shared the rice to their political party, to their leaders and hoarded the rest. What we have is a sad story in Delta State, nothing to write about
Similarly, a human rights activist in the state, Mr Anthony Asakitikpi, accused the Delta SSG of hoarding and diverting the rice.
Asakitikpi, who is the Chairman, Human Rights Liberty Access and Peace Defenders South-South zone, said, “I am not too sure whether Delta State has received the recent 20 trucks of rice but the one they received before was not only hoarded but was diverted to their friends and cronies.
“I have said it before and I am saying it again, the SSG should come out and tell Deltans where and who they distributed this palliative to.
“What is meant for the widows and the vulnerable is being diverted; they are hijacking it, which we the civil society group are not in support of.
“We want to believe that the governor is not aware of this hoarding and diversion. The Chairman of the Palliative Committee has so many things to tell Deltans on how he distributed our palliative.”
Meanwhile, findings by our correspondent revealed that some palliative with Federal Government inscriptions were discovered packed in a guest house belonging to a religious body in Asaba, the state capital.
