The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, on Saturday made a passionate call to the Oyo State Government, headed by Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to commence the immediate distribution of the relief materials donated by the Federal Government through the National Emergency Management Agency to alleviate the suffering of the victims of the rainstorm that occurred in Ibadan, Oyo State, on February 17, 2013.
Akinjide’s call came as a result of the reported dilatory attitude of the Oyo State Government in distributing the relief materials provided by NEMA to the identified victims already enumerated by the Agency in the five Ibadan Local Government Areas largely affected by the flood.
The local governments are Oluyole, Ona Ara, Ibadan South West, Ibadan South East and Ido.
The Federal Government had responded immediately to the unfortunate incident by sending relief materials through NEMA to the victims in the state.
Though the relief materials were delivered to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on February 20, 2013 and NEMA officials have been standing by for days, Oloye Akinjide regretted that the Federal Government’s compassionate response was being negated by the refusal of the Oyo State Government to flag off the distribution with dispatch.
A 15-man team of NEMA, led by the Abuja-based acting Director of Relief and Rehabilitation, Mr. E.U. Eze, who represented the Director-General, Mohammed Sani-Sidi, supported by the Zonal Manager for the South West, Iyiola Akande, expressed serious displeasure over the lack of co-operation by the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency and officials of the Oyo State Government, who have kept postponing the commencement of the distribution of the relief materials to the affected victims.
The distribution, which was earlier scheduled for 2pm on February 21 and moved to February 22, 2013, was aborted by the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency.
The relief materials donated by the Federal Government include 2,000 roofing sheets, 800 bags of cement, 600 bags of rice, 500 roofing nails, 1,000 Zinc nails, 1,200 blankets, 2,000 mats, 300 mattresses, and 2,400 – 2x4x12 planks.
Akinjide bemoaned the action of the state government in frustrating the genuine efforts of the Federal Government at alleviating the plight of Oyo State people.
The minister wondered why the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency refused to work in tandem with NEMA officials to flag off the distribution of the relief materials to the victims who are in dire need of them.
It will be recalled that hundreds of residents were rendered homeless when their residences were damaged by the violent wind that accompanied the first rain of the year on February 17, 2013 in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State.
Trending
- Sanwo-Olu: We’ve fulfilled our promises
- Upholding Democracy: The imperative of credible party primaries in Nigeria, by Adebanji Dada
- FG revokes 924 dormant mining licences as minister decries racketeering
- Why I didn’t build schools as Anambra governor, Peter Obi replies Omokri
- Establish base in Sambisa forest, Zulum tells Army
- EFCC withdraws appeal against former Kogi Governor Bello
- Fidelity Bank commends Air Peace’s performance
- How AI, automation, and trusted data are shaping next-generation customer service, by Linda Saunders