Consequent upon the ravages of the deadly disease with contagious advantages, the world had strategized to avoid contagion to checkmate and to stop it's spread.
These measures became inevitable resulting in quarantine orders that all humanity should stay at home: "Lock Down", which means closure of almost all activities; except what Governments list as.essentials, such as medical equipment,
foodstuffs, water supply etc.
The Coronavirus war is brutal and quite different from what obtains in conventional wars; the tactics are also planned accordingly. The Bayelsa State Government, led by Senator Douye Diri and Senator Ewhrudjakpo as Governor and Deputy Governor respectively have noticeably been proactive in the battle with COVID-19 to ensure victory at all fronts, but who are the trusted fighters, the care givers, the honest diliverers of welfare packages at the fronts, who were they that were assigned the task to safeguard the lives of the quarantined populace to survive and to be in good health?
One of the devastating and or disastrous war tactics the virus uses as a letal weapon is hunger, because hunger is the fuel of the body, which functionality depends on humanity having food on the table.
Bayelsans were not unhappy with the State Government for announcing to the world that, the Senator Douye Diri and Senator Ewhrudjakpo administration purchased foodstuffs and distributed same to the eight Local Government Areas of the State, which was a most welcome development.
But according to Golden Pen findings the anticipated joy was short-lived, because the foodstuffs distribution took a new dimention when came to public knowledge that items were not for the heads of communities to share as it used to be, but to Ward leaders who dictated the pace.
According to reliable sources at Opu Nembe Bassambiri the Bayelsa State Government Coronavirus relief materials stocked in First Nembe Town Hall, by the LGA Chairman, Hon. Alalibo West were said to have taken to Wards for sharing.
It was widely orchestrated that the formula used for distribution was unorthodox, because the moment it was announced that the items were for the Wards, then it dawned on the majority of the people that the foodstuffs were not meant for the community.
It would be recalled that:
".. the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri while sending the Relief Materials to the LGA'S charged leaders to distribute ... items to Bayelsans devoid of political party affiliation.
"He admonished those tasked with the responsibility of distributing food at the local government level to put humanity first above politics!
"They are all your brothers and your sisters, the underlying thing is they are all Bayelsans. The physically challenged people, internally displaced persons (IDPS), NYSC Corps Lordge, Bakasi returnees Camp, Orphanages and other overlooked communities are weil considered in the distribution arrangement." Governor Diri emphasized.
But the said foodstuffs did not follow due process as it went.
Earlier the same Bayelsa State Government reportedly distributed food items to LGA'S:
" COVID-19: Bayelsa government begins distribution of NEMA foodstuffs to Council LGAS ... mainly garri and gunea corn, the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA) Major Zedekiah Isu rted. who supervised the exercise said the items were by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), last year to cushion the effect of the 2019 flood season. He pointed out that over five thousand bags of garri and guinea corn... distributed to the eight Local Government Areas."
When NEMA'S foodstuffs from the State came by the SEMA Chairman
it went directly into the hands of Community Leadership and distribution cuts across all segments of the society.
Every other COVID-19 relief material that came passed through the Community's leadership, most recently, the major Oil Company operating in the area, AITEO and joint ventures delivered relief materials through the Leadership of the community and it was fairly distributed.
Our sources who expressed displeasure at the development pointed out that the deliverance of the 2nd batch of the State Government's 2nd batch of relief materials into the hands of Ward Leaders instead of the Community's Leadership was a grievous administrative mistake.
When contacted to comment on the development, the Chairman of Nembe Local Government Area, Hon. Alalibo West who expressed appreciation to Golden Pen for calling for his comment, stated that due to the Coronavirus "lock down" in the state he may not be disposed to speak.
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