We Are Not Hoarding COVID-19 Palliatives – Bayelsa Govt

The Bayelsa State government says it has distributed all food items and other palliatives it received as donations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in the country.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Commissioner of Information, Orientation, and Strategy in the state, Ayibaina Duba, stressed that the government was not hoarding palliatives in any warehouse in Bayelsa.

He explained that the clarification became necessary to ease the tension arising from attacks on warehouses containing COVID-19 palliatives and other items by rampaging residents in some states.

The commissioner believes although Bayelsa has been commendably peaceful, it is necessary to dispel misinformation from those with motives to foment trouble.

He stated that so far, the state government had distributed food and other items four times to residents across the eight Local Government Areas (LGAs) as COVID-19 palliatives between April and July.

“As a government, we commend the youths of Bayelsa for their peaceful disposition and their statesmanship in ensuring that the state is calm and rid of criminality.

“I recall that about two weeks ago, during the #EndSARS protest, Governor Douye Diri addressed the protesters at the Government House and marched peacefully with them to the headquarters of the state police command,” Duba noted.

He added, “The governor, thereafter, quickly acted on their demands by setting up two panels to address their concerns. Members of the #EndSARS campaign and the civil society are in these panels.”

The commissioner gave an assurance that the government would continue to encourage and support the youths to achieve their real potentials through entrepreneurship, agriculture, and skill acquisition.

Giving a breakdown of the donors, the items received, and the distribution to various LGAs, he disclosed that the government purchased and distributed 14,500 cartons of noodles, 14,657 (10kg) bags of beans, and 6,105 (10kg) bags of garri.

Duba listed other donors as the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, CACOVID Foundation, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Foundation, and Ecobank, among others.

He stated that beneficiaries of the items were in the eight LGSa, including non-indigenes, corps members, and the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons.

Others were the physically challenged, orphanage homes, and persons displaced by the Nembe community crisis.