TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Niger Delta have accused governors in the region of truncating the distribution of the COVID-19 food palliative by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Hundreds youths drawn from the nine States of the Niger Delta made the accusation yesterday when they staged a peaceful protest at the NDDC office in Port Harcourt.
The protesters alleged that the governors have been pressurising the COVID-19 committee to hand over the items meant for their states to their respective governments, claiming that the moves have delayed the distribution of the items.
Speaking, one of the leaders of the protest, who is the leader of Conscience of Ogoni People, Gani Topba, noted that it was wrong for the governors of the region to meddle into the process.
Topba called on the governors of the region to allow the committee set up by the commission to oversee the distribution of the palliative to do its work.
Topba said: “We are not happy that the governors of the Niger Delta are pressurising the NDDC committee on palliative to give them the items to be in charge of the distribution.
“It is unnecessary for the the palliative to be given to the governors because the Federal Government has made it clear that it is for the region and Sobomabo Jackrich and his team are capable of delivering it to the people.
“The process by the NDDC is not politicized, it is to benefit all Niger Deltans. We have trust in the leadership of Jackrich because we know he will deliver these palliative to the poor people in the region without fear or favour.”
He regretted that the alleged move by the governors have delayed the commencement of the distribution of the palliative by the Jackrich-led committee, thanking President Muhammadu Buhari, for the guesture.
Also, Peace Omada said: “We are happy with what the federal government has done in the area of palliative for the poor people in Niger Delta.
“We are calling on the governors of the region to stop disturbing the process so that the committee can start the distribution to the people that need them”, Omada appealed.