Kwara Residents ‘Curse’ Hoarders Of Government Food Palliatives
Residents of Asa Local Government in Kwara State have alleged that distributors of the state government’s food support may be short-changing the people.
A resident claimed in a video circulating on social media that while residents saw trucks of food items coming into the local government area, only a handful of rice was given to each household as government food support for the period of the lockdown.
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In the video, a man displayed a small, transparent cellophane bag containing what looked like three cups of rice, while a voice confirmed it as the food supply to each household by the Kwara State government.
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The man, who swore he was saying the truth claimed: “They told us on radio and television to sit at home and that food would be distributed to every home. We actually saw the trucks carrying the food items into our community. But when they asked all the magajis (ward heads) to come and collect food items for their people, this is what they gave every one of us.”
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Then he offered a highly sarcastic prayer for the government of Kwara State and those in charge of food distribution.
“Those who gave us this to eat with our families, we pray to God to give them and their children the reward that is commensurate with what they have done. We the poor who have been asked to sit at home, we thank the government for taking care of us this way. And we pray that God will take care of them and their children the same way they are taking care of us.”
But Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq told THE WHISTLER the allegations were false. “It is not true and I will send you a statement,” he said in a Whatsapp message.
A statement he forwarded to THE WHISTLER, signed by Lawal Olohungbebe, a member of the State Palliative Committee, also denied the claims, saying the committee delivered to 200 bags of 10kg rice to every ward in the state.
A statement he sent to THE WHISTLER on Monday reads: “I am a member of the Kwara State Committee on Palliatives. You see…this video doesn’t represent the true picture of the distributed items.
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“There is no WARD in Asa LGA that received less than 200 bags of 10kg rice.
“We explained to their representatives committee which comprises the highest ranking community leader, the highest ranking pastor, the highest ranking Imaam/Sheikh, representatives of 2 community-based organizations such as Mekunu Forum Agenda and Ilorin Emirate Youth Development Association, in the case of Asa.
“These are the people saddled with the responsibilities of identifying the needy in their respective wards. The needy, as we explained to them include the weak and physically challenged, the poor aged, transporters, widows among others.
“But what most of these communities, going by our evaluation results, did was that, for the fear of being alleged to be bias or partial, in their own wisdom, they decided to ensure every household, regardless of their financial capacities get something, no matter how meager.
“At the end of the day, what individuals, especially those who are actually qualified to get will be small. You can’t hold the government responsible for that. And what is more: the government did make it clear that the whole thing is about showing good faith especially to the poorest of the poor. Government can’t realistically feed everybody. It’s not practical.
“So, be guided pls, the State government did not use nylons for distributions. The people did so on their own volition.”
