Covid-19: Bayelsa distributes 5,000 bags of garri to 8 LGAs

In order to curb the effect of the stay-at-home order to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the state, the Bayelsa state government on Thursday began the distribution of 5,000 bags of garri to all the eight local government areas of the state.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Mr. Freston Akpor said the distribution of the food stuff became imperative as a result of  the rise in the prices of foodstuffs and other commodities.

“It is quite obvious that the cost of leaving has risen. There are also restrictions about some markets across the country. Take for instance, in some neighbouring states, no market activities and so on.

“That is going to create some level of price hike and scarcity as well. And some persons in the society will be badly hit especially those who are underprivileged.

“So the idea of the governor, in his magnanimity, is that those foodstuffs, rice, garri, millet and so on should be shared to those who are underprivileged to cushion the effect of the economic consequences,” he said.

Speaking to newsmen at Igbogene, the chairman of the Bayelsa state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Dr. Zedekiah Isu said the 5,000 bags of garri were part of the relief materials brought to the state by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) during the 2019 flood disaster.

Zedekiah noted that the delay in the distribution of the food items was as a result of NEMA not sending her representatives to stand as the eye of the federal government to distribute the materials.

He revealed that it took the intervention of the present governor, Senator Douye Diri to prevail on NEMA to allow him to distribute the garri to Bayelsans as palliative over the Covid-19 palaver.

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