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COVID-19: Ondo Residents Lament Poor Distribution Of Relief Items From Government

The state government had so far been able to raise ₦755,503,565 both in cash and kind to help provide the needed support for the people but many across the city say they have yet to receive any item from state

Some residents of Ondo State have continued to complain of not getting relief items to cushion the effects of Coronavirus lockdown from the state government.

The residents said the pandemic had made them rely on the state government for support.

The few persons, who confirmed that they received some food items from state officials, said the quality of such was poor.

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They also accused the committee in charge of the distribution of palliatives of being biased and not transparent.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had last month constituted a palliative committee to oversee the distribution of relief items to residents of the state.

The state government had so far been able to raise ₦755,503,565 both in cash and kind to help provide the needed support for the people but many across the city say they have yet to receive any item from state officials in that regard.

One resident of the state, Mrs Bisayo Adegbengbe, claimed she had not received any palliative so far. She accused the state government of only distributing to members of the All Progressives Congress.

She said since the outbreak of Coronavirus, she had been struggling to survive by relying on the support of friends and loved ones, who had food items and cash in abundance.

Another resident of the city, Mr Adebayo Orimolade, said nobody on his street around Oke Ogba area of Akure, the state capital, had benefited from the government's palliatives.

Mrs Iyabo Omoniyi, another resident of the state, describes the exercise as a charade, adding that the government was only deceiving the people with the palliatives.

She disclosed that she had not received any relief item from the government, noting that few of her friends, who are a member of the APC, had collected such items from state officials. 

She said, "Two of my friends who are the members of their party showed me what the state government distributed as palliatives. It was very ridiculous and insulting.

"So, it's clear that they are only sharing the palliatives to APC members and keep on lying that they have distributed foods for the residents.”

In his reaction, Alex Kalejaye, spokesperson for the palliatives committee, said the distribution of relief items had no political or ethnic consideration.

He said, “The committee has completed the first phase of distribution to the most vulnerable in the state and we have even distributed in Akure."

According to him, no less than 3000 residents benefited and were also captured in each of the local government where the palliatives were distributed.

He noted that distribution was also extended to sick patients in hospitals and various groups living in the state.
 

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PUBLIC HEALTH