By: Monica Isidi
Non indigenes in Asaba, Okwe and Ibusa communities in Delta state on Friday frowned at the manner of distribution of food items meant to cushion the effect of Covid-19 lockdown.
They said their greatest challenge and fear has been hunger not the deadly corona virus pandemic.
A respondent who spoke to our correspondent in Asaba; Mrs Alice Okowon described the manner of the distribution of the palliatives as an exhibition of wickedness and intimidation.
She said, “It is very bad, the government made the lockdown for everybody yet they are sharing the food items to their people alone. On Wednesday they brought the items, they said it is for the indigenes.
Though the rice is three cups and a tuber of yam, we should be part of it no matter how little. This is our home, like me I was born here, I pay my tax here, I cast my vote here, so why are we not included in the list. Why have we been sidelined in Asaba?
Again today (Friday), A team of the Asaba Development Union (ADU) came to share food items, they shared only to some Asaba indigenes. We went there for them to give us, they refused insisting that it is only for indigenes. The team leader even went to the extent of referring to a lady (Monica Isidi; who was pleading on our behalf as a hungry lady).
We are seriously faced with hunger worse than the corona-virus. We fear hunger not corona virus pandemic ravaging the world. We can no longer feed well again and our stores have been locked down.”
“The palliatives measures the state government, politicians and the Asaba Development Union claimed it has been sharing (though some persons through the use of Facebook have applauded them), has not in any way reached us. The distribution is marked with a high level of discrimination even to some Asaba indigenes. We are suffering, the lockdown in the state is killing us.”
“They should not come to us again during election time. They should go to only the indigenes to vote for them.”
Another respondent who is an Asaba indigene; Isidi Monica condemned, in strong terms the manner of sharing of the palliatives by the ADU (Asaba Development Union).
She said, “You need to be alive to contract the virus; you cannot contract the virus in death. Both the indigenes and non-indigenes are battling with hunger.”
Its terrible that no one is allowed to go out and work, how will they feed? Some of the non-indigenes want to return to their place yet they are not allowed to travel back home. They are hungry and want food to survive and it affects everybody.
Everybody deserves to survive this trying period in Nigeria irrespective of where you come from. As long as you are resident in Asaba, you should be considered for the palliative”.
I am from Asaba and I have been following the distribution of food items by the ADU, the manner of distribution of food is bad and marked with a high level of discrimination. I speak not just for myself but for everybody who have been ignored by the union.
Corona virus or hunger does not know indigene or non-indigene, so the distribution should reach any vulnerable resident in Asaba”.
They lamented the situation across the state as pathetic, especially the lockdown and dusk - to - dawn curfew imposed by the state government.
24th April 2020, 5:55pm
A clear distinction needs to be made between the State Government's palliatives and ADUww's food distribution exercise which was target specific from the onset towards vulnerable Asaba indigenes, not residents. Asaba has become cosmopolitan and I doubt if ADUww could take up such a humongous task considering the cost and assurance of failure before the word go. ADUww has done well and the exercise is still ongoing. Charity they say, begins at home. Let those who are displeased take the matter up with Okowa. ADUww should be left out of their politics. Amaechi Felix Okonkwo. Lagos.
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