As the lockdown slammed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic entered the six-day, residents in Adamawa have now resorted to begging to eke a living, alleging that they are yet to receive any palliative either from the Federal, state or local governments.
This is coming as the state emergency agency (ADSEMA) distributed relief materials in its stores to local government councils as a palliative to downtrodden.
Residents spoken to, decry that despite the huge sum of N500 million said to have been earmarked by the state government as palliative they were yet to receive any assistance as economic bites.
‘’We heard it that the state government has provided the sum of N500 million as palliatives but I can assure residents did not get a dime.
‘’ For now, many residents have resorted to begging from other neighbours that have a little to survive.
‘’ We are right now in a double tragedy because it has become glaring that some people with fast fingers are helping themselves at our detriment while at a time the government forcefully caged us,’’ said Baba Jada Musa a local resident in Jimeta.
For Joseph Gulak the trails are too much to bear,’’ this is the worst maltreatment that a government can hoist upon law-abiding citizens, we may be forced by the situation to resort to civil disobedience,’’ he laments.
Also, commenting Mary Bako a local politician expressed concern that there could be preferential treatment in the distribution of the foodstuff doled out by the agency, ‘’In fact, our fear is that even the foodstuff that was given by ADSEMA to local government chairmen, could be tempered or share along party lines; how can you expect fairness and transparency where chairmen, commissioners and members of the state Assembly are assigned for the distribution?
‘’ We expect to see their own palliative, but here they are waiting from the government,’’ she observed.
‘’ We are doing our best to assist’’ – Gov Fintiri reacts
Reacting, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri said that the government was mindful of the situation, hence he directed the state emergency agency (ADSEMA) to commence distribution of relief materials to local government councils as palliative.
Fintiri, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistance on Mobilization Barr. Sunday Joshua Wugira said, ‘’ the governor has directed ADSEMA to provide palliative to the people.
‘’Local governments have taken their share; there is a committee, each local government chairman, member of the state assembly from the local government and commissioner constitute the membership of each local government committee.
‘’ Those that collected their share are expected to start distribution to their people devoid of party preference,’’ Wugira noted.
The state humanitarian agency (ADSEMA) said, so far it has distributed some palliative to at least 16 out of 21 local government areas in the state.
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