By Amos Aar
PEOPLE Living With Disabilities (PWDs) and a number of local government caretaker chairmen in Benue State have cried out, alleging the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) has refused to distribute to target beneficiaries federal government assisted food palliatives sent to the state even as hunger bites harder.
National Record had recently reported that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had on June 13, 2024 done a symbolic presentation of 17,940 bags of maize (50kg) and 4,342 bags of garri (25kg) which were allocated to Benue State by the federal government at the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi, for onward presentation to local government council chairpersons for onward distribution to beneficiaries in their localities.
The grains were part of the ongoing efforts to mitigate impacts of disasters, conflicts and food insecurity that had affected various parts of Nigeria, including Benue State.
But 33 days after the flag off ceremony, some PWDs, who scrambled for the items during the symbolic distribution told our reporter that they were yet to get the food items.
“We were assured that the food items would reach us through our council chairmen within the week but unfortunately, it’s been over a whole month now but we have not seen anything.
“Our major problem in this state now is food, foodstuffs are too expensive”, one of the PWDs, who declined to mention her name, lamented.
Two caretaker chairmen confirmed to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity on Tuesday that they were yet to take delivery of the food palliatives for onward delivery to their vulnerable groups.
“My brother, I have not heard anything about those food items since that time. If you get information about it, let me know please”, a caretaker chairman in Benue Zone ‘A’ rather told this reporter.
When contacted to find out the cause of the delay in distribution of the food items, BSEMA information officer, Mr Tema Ager, said he did not have information on the issue but suggested that if the intended beneficiaries did not get the items, they should channel their complaints to appropriate authorities.
“The food items were meant for LGAs, religious bodies and boarding schools in those LGAs. If they say they don’t know about it, they know where to ask. I have no information on this,” the information officer responded via a WhatsApp chat.
