[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Delta State Government set up a Food Bank to collate all food items donated by individuals and organisations to cushion the effect of the 14 day stay at home order made by it as a measure to check the spread of the coronavirus in the state.
The food items are said to be meant for the vulnerable in the state and are to be distributed to them in their respective communities, irrespective of political interests, which prompted the setting up the LGA distribution committees.
Chairman of the CPU Foundation, a Civil Engineer, who refers to himself as a “Bricklayer” Engr. Philip Chukwumah Ugbomah,has warned against the diversion of food meant to be given to the vulnerable members of the local government to party members at Ward level.
The chairman gave the warning in a telephone chat with Grassroots Publishers online yesterday concerning the constituted committee for the distribution of government palliative to vulnerable members of the local government area.
He said that the vulnerable members of the local government area included the disabled, those above the age of 60, low income earners, widows and those who depend on daily job to earn a living. According to him COVID – 19 does not recognise, considering that all presently suffering different degrees of impact as a result of the Coronavirus lockdown are not members of a particular political party.
The real vulnerable in the society are not politicians and could best be identified by their communities through the traditional rulers working with community leaders.If the food items are to get to the target persons, therefore, the membership of the committee needs to be depoliticized to include at least one traditional ruler, two non partisan interests and one vulnerable person.
The committee which is headed by the local government chairman, while members comprise all Councilors and the most senior chiefs (Okpala-Uku) and representatives of the various wards who will monitor the distribution of the palliative from the state government are expected to distribute the items as directed by Governor Okowa.
He urged well-meaning Deltans and Ndokwa East indigenes to contribute their quota to the success of the food bank measure by the state government.
Chairman of the CPU Foundation thanked the state government for putting palliative measure on ground to alleviate the plight of Deltans in the face of the war against the corona virus.