Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has said looted food items in warehouses across the nation were reserved for a possible second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, as well as for the vulnerable persons.
The Governors said this in denial of hoarding COVID-19 palliatives following the looting of several warehouses nationwide where the food items were stored.
Soon after the #EndSARS peaceful protests were attacked by hoodlums, thousands of people in different states burgled storage facilities that housed tonnes of foodstuff.
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Most of the items were donated by the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID). The body comprises business moguls and companies.
Head of Media of the NGF, Abdulraque Bellingham Barkindo, in a statement expressed;
For example, some of the properties stolen and vandalized include palliatives set aside for vulnerable members of society.
The NGF reemphasizes and corrects the impression that palliatives found in warehouses that were broken into in Lagos and some other states were kept in storage for members of the society especially our vulnerable citizens.
The erroneous impression in the public domain that these palliatives were hoarded is not just inaccurate, entirely erroneous and untrue but also mischievous, to say the least.
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The forum noted;
For the avoidance of doubt, some of the palliatives had the CACOVID stamp embossed on them, meaning that their source is unambiguous.
As we know, CACOVID operations are mainly domiciled in Lagos, being the headquarters of most of the public-spirited organisations, corporate bodies and individuals that came together to form the Coalition Against COVID-19; CACOVID.
Until mid-October, when the NGF had its last meeting, up to ten states had not participated in the flag-off ceremonies for the distribution of palliatives in their states. This was because the items meant for distribution in these states had not been completely received from CACOVID.
Read Also: Residents Cart Away COVID-19 Palliatives From Warehouse At Gwagwalada, Abuja (Photos/Videos)
The NGF said that as at a couple of weeks ago, some states were still receiving palliatives from the federal government through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
The Governors refuted the claims making the rounds that the palliatives had been hoarded, and assured all contributors to the palliatives that prior to the looting of the warehouses, the states had kept full accounts of all the items received and distributed.
The NGF assured Nigerians that they are doing everything humanely possible under the circumstances to ameliorate the needs of the teeming population.
It added;
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum stands for justice, improved governance and a progressive Nigeria.
