The leadership of the Osun Food and Relief Committee set up by the Osun state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, to cushion the adverse effects of the global Coronavirus pandemic, has dispelled the insinuations making the rounds that it hoarded the palliative donated to the State.
The Committee clarified that the warwhoused food items carted away by hoodlums and residents were donated to the State by the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID).
The Committee also debunked the rumour that the items were part of the relief materials received from the eminent citizens and individuals of the State.
It said it couldn’t share the food items as the State was awaiting receipt of the remaining items.
The Committee further noted that it has no authority to distribute the items without approval and formal flag-off by the CACOVID Office in Abuja.
The Secretary to the 21-man Food and Relief Committee, Alhaji Adebayo Jimoh, stated these in a statement while reacting to the invasion incident.
Jimoh said, “We are in receipt of information that the Warehouse in Ede, where we kept the relief materials donated to the Osun Food and Relief Committee by the Private Sector Coalition Against Covid-19 (CACOVID), has been attacked and food items carted away.
“It has therefore become imperative to put the records straight in view of the falsehood and the misinformation making the rounds about the donated relief items.
“One, it is not true that the food items were hoarded.
“Two, the food items have no direct bearing with the State Government, as they are within the purview of the Food and Relief Committee.
“Three, the items can only be distributed after a formal flag-off by the CACOVID Office, Abuja. Four, we do not have the authority to distribute the food items without approval from Abuja.
“Besides, the Committee is still expecting the rice component of the donated items, which is 40, 230 bags of 5kg. All these are part of the reasons the items were still in the warehouse up till the time of the invasion.
“The following items were donated: Pasta FMN – 29, 992; Pasta OLAM -10, 282; Noodles- 80, 644; Garri -40, 322; Salt- 40, 320; and Sugar – 40, 227.
“However, the rice components of the donated items are yet to be delivered up until now.”
Some hoodlums had in the earlier hours of Friday invaded the large warehouse of Cocoa Processing Industry located at Ede, where the consignments donated to the State by the CACOVID were being kept and carted away the food items.
Jimoh said that the Committee had on September 28, written to CACOVID to remind it of the rice component of the palliative which was yet to be delivered and had not received a reply from them up until the time the items were looted.
