From Angela Mbaocha, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Government has commenced the distribution of the second round of palliatives in the 171 wards of the state.
The exercise commenced on Saturday, with 200 indigent and vulnerable persons in each polling unit as beneficiaries.
The distribution was carried out in 10 Local Government Areas of Abakaliki, Ezza South, Ezza North, Afikpo North, Afikpo South, Onicha, Ishielu, Ivo, Ohaukwu, and Ebonyi, simultaneously, while the date for distribution in Ikwo, Ohaozara and lzzi was yet to be announced.
Our correspondent who monitored the exercise reported that some of the items distributed included, bags of 5kg rice, tin tomatoes, bottles of groundnut oil, Noddles, salt, and Maggi cubes.
Speaking with the Caretaker Chairman of Onicha local government area, Comrade Ben Nwovu, he said they received 26, 000 bags of 5kg rice even as he hinted that distribution had commenced at the different wards of the local government area, and each ward would get 200 bags of rice as well as other items.
He said stakeholders at the ward level signed indemnity form and as such, if items were not properly shared, they would be held responsible.
Mrs. Amuche Otunta, Caretaker Chairman of Afikpo North council area said they got 26, 000 bags of rice, cartons of Noddles, cartons of groundnut oil, among other things.
At some distribution centers, people were seen queuing up to collect their own share of the pallative, while some were yet to commence distribution at the time of visit.
Addressing journalists after monitoring the exercise, Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly who is also chairman of the State’s COVID-19 Fundraising and Welfare Committee, Rt. Hon Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, explained why state government didn’t include garri and yam in the items that were distributed.
He said 500 tubers of yam were donated by Civil Defense Corps, adding that because of the quantity, the tubers were given to the motherless babies home, while only 3000 bags of garri were also donated which according to him if shared will not go round.
“The garri we have is not much, we have only 3000 bags and we don’t want some people to get while others will not get. So as a state, we may donate it either to the motherless babies home or St. Vincent’s De Paul Old Peoples Home,” he added
Nwifuru disclosed that he had to cancel sharing of the palliatives in two local government areas because of late arrival of the items to the council headquarters for onward distribution to polling units.
He said the affected local governments which are Ohaukwu and Ebonyi would distribute the pallatives to the beneficiaries on Sunday.
The beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to the federal and state governments for their generosity.
One of the beneficiaries, Eunice Akpa said, ” I’m so happy that at last I and my family got the pallatives. We thought the items had been diverted after we wrote out names months back without getting anything.
“Thank God the items are hear and I’m happy to partake of it.”
