Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday restated his administration’s commitment to providing palliatives to cushion the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on the vulnerable group.
The governor, who restated this commitment shortly after inspecting the state’s Food Bank at Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area, said credible Deltans, including local government chairmen, the clergy, opinion leaders, women and youth representatives, had been appointed into committees to ensure the food items got to the right people.
According to him, bulk of the food items, including rice and beans, which will be distributed in a few days, were procured by the state government and the rest came from donors.
Okowa thanked the donors for the support and called on others to contribute to the three food banks at Ibusa, Warri and Asaba.
He stressed that more food items were needed to enable the government cover all parts of the state, assuring that the distribution would commence at the weekend to the various wards, and added that measures had been put in place to ensure the food items got to the vulnerable irrespective of their political leanings.
“We have food stocked in our warehouses in Ibusa, Asaba and Warri and these are the three spots from where we will commence distribution to our various wards and villages.
“We have beans, rice, noodles and some other food items for distribution and we have constituted committees comprising every local government chairman, members of the House of Assembly, religious leaders.
“The committees have been put in place at the local government and ward levels, and we have emphasised that there will be no politics in the distribution of these items. It is for every Deltan and non-Deltan living in the state.
“Once we perfect the processes being put in place by the committee at the state level, we will commence distribution at the weekend and it is our prayer that they will reach out to the most indigent among our people,” he said.