The Delta State government has denied the allegation of diverting the subsidy palliative distributed to the state by the Federal Government.
Civil Society Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations had accused Delta State of diverting the palliative to their friends and cronies.
Members of Delta State Coalition of CSos, NGOs, and CBOs platform in the state, Comrade Joshua Ossua and Comrade Anthony Asakitikpi, who is the South-South coordinator for HURIDE made the accusation on Monday in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
They said, “Lack of civil society involvement in Delta State subsidy palliative distribution is a deliberate act by the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, to have his way.
“It’s concerning that the Delta State government is proceeding again with subsidy palliative distribution without involving CSOs, NGOs, and CBOs.
“Their absence raises questions about accountability and transparency in the distribution process. Without their oversight, there is a risk of potential mismanagement or favoritism in allocating these essential resources to vulnerable Deltans like what they did during the first round of distribution.
“There were a lot of complaints in the previous distribution, core vulnerable Deltans were shot out, and they played politics with it. We don’t want this second round to go the same way.
“The real farmers could not get the last palliative; it was distributed to so-called ‘political farmers,’ who in turn sold the items to the real farmers.
“We are calling on Governor Sheriff Oborevweri to involve the CSOs and NGOs to monitor the distribution of the palliative to the right persons it was meant for.”
When contacted on the accusation, the SSA to the governor on CSOs and NGOs, Comrade Victor Ojei, said “I’m not aware and I’m not part of the committee, so I wouldn’t know who get what.
“Yes, I heard that people like farmers are complaining, but you can reach out to the SSG, who is in charge of the committee to speak on the matter.”
But reacting to the allegation, the state Coordinator of the Subsidy Palliatives Committee, Mr. Jaro Egbo told South-South PUNCH on Wednesday in Asaba, that the allegation was not true.
The state Coordinator, who is the Special Adviser to the governor on Transportation, said that those people who were not meant to get were the people complaining over the palliative.
He said, “I’m the Coordinator, of Delta State Palliative Distribution Committee, under my chairman and SSG, Dr. Kingsley Emu, we have Chairmen of NLC and, TUC among others at the state level.
“At the local council level, we have eminent personalities like Bishops, Rev Fathers, and others, who are not politicians and we have ward structure made of 500 DISEC ward, with councilors, PGs and others.
“It is a well-structured committee from the state to ward level, we monitor the distribution down to the ward to ensure that the right vulnerable Deltans, the elderly, and indigents who cannot afford a meal get the palliative.
“The palliative is not meant for everybody, it is for those who cannot afford a meal, there is transparency in what we are doing, only that we didn’t do enough publicity to create awareness.
“The distribution of the second round will commence soon and those that benefited in the last tranch will not be part of this. Part of the rice and garri will be taken to Okuoma IDP camp because they are vulnerable also.”
On farmers, the coordinator said that they only deal with the farmers who belong to groups, noting that those farmers who benefited from the maize before will not be given.
Egbo disclosed that items received so far and meant for distribution include; 11,464 bags of maize, 4,699 bags of gari, and 24,000 25kg bags of rice.
He said the items are ready to be moved to the 25 local government areas of the state, lamenting the high cost of moving these items to the various councils and wards, including riverine areas.
