FG Donates 250 Bags Of Spoilt Beans, Other Items To Benue IDPs

The Benue State Emergen­cy Management Agency (SEMA) on Monday lament­ed the donation of 250 bags of spoilt beans to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state as palliatives from the Federal Government.

The agency also lamented the influx of more than 10,000 refugees into the state, as well as more IDPs into the camps.

The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons had donated the beans to the IDPs on Monday in Makurdi, on behalf of the Federal Gov­ernment.

But when asked to com­ment, Governor Samuel Or­tom said he was not yet aware that 250 bags of spoilt beans had been donated to IDPs in the state.

The governor, who prom­ised to investigate the matter, however, said the state had re­ceived three trailers of rice from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and that the state was still ex­pecting more from Dangote Foundation.

He appreciated those that had delivered and those that were on their way to deliv­ering and praised them for their gesture.

But Emmanuel Shior, Executive Secretary, SEMA, who earlier disclosed that he received the spoilt beans as well as other items on behalf of the IDPs, expressed grati­tude to President Muhamma­du Buhari for the care and support to IDPs in the state.

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The Accountant of SEMA, Steven Bubwa, who repre­sented the Executive Secre­tary at the occasion, said: “We took permission from them to share items the commission brought to us, ranging from food and non-food items, including 216 bags of beans, which was almost spoilt”.

When Daily Indepen­dent sought the attention of Bashir Garba, the National Commissioner of the Com­mission, to comment on the alleged ‘spoilt beans’, he ig­nored our correspondent and walked briskly to his waiting car and zoomed off.

Earlier, Bashir explained that the team was in Benue to support persons displaced from their homes and forced to live in their host commu­nities.

He said: “As an agency mandated to provide care and maintenance to these vulnerable groups, we will continue to do our best to make their lives better.

“We thank Mr President for his support and commit­ment towards alleviating the sufferings of vulnerable people.”

Items donated to the IDPs include 355 bags of rice, 56 bags of garri, 256 bags of millet, 300 gallons of palm oil, 23 bags of iodized salt, 71 cartons of tomato paste, and 65 cartons of Maggi.

Some of the non-food items are assorted drugs, 1500 mats, 1000 pieces of blankets, 80 cartons of de­tergents, 80 cartons of toilet soap, 85 dozens of bathroom slippers of various sizes, and 800 plastics.