By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State Government through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has flagged off the distribution of relief materials donated by the federal government to the 276 wards in the state.
The Executive Secretary (ES) of Benue SEMA (BSEMA), Mr James Iorpuu, performed the ceremony on Thursday at the Industrial Layout, Makurdi, eight days after National Record had reported on July 17, 2024 that People With Disabilities (PWDs), local government chairmen and other intended beneficiaries were grumbling over the delay in sharing the relief materials flagged off by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) over month ago even as hunger was biting hard on the target beneficiaries.
Iorpuu explained during the flag off on Thursday that the palliative being distributed came from the federal government through NEMA and the food items are intended to reach the most vulnerable groups – widows, orphanage homes, the elderly, government schools, especially boarding schools, religious bodies, and the physically challenged – across all 276 local government council wards.
According to him, items to be distributed include 50kg of 17,940 bags of maize and 25kg of 4,132 bags of Garri. He noted that each council ward will receive 65 bags of maize and 15 bags of garri.
He said the agency’s distribution plan was systematic and organised to ensure that every local government receives its fair share, commencing with Zone A on Thursday (today), July 25, 2024, while Zone B will receive its palliatives on Friday, July 26, 2024, with Zone C on Saturday, July 27 2024. He added that each local government must adhere to its designated day.
Iorpuu warned that any local government that misses its turn will have to wait until the mop-up day which is Sunday, July 28, 2024, and urged council chairmen to maintain the highest level of transparency in the distribution process.
