"The food items can only be distributed after formal flag-off by CACOVID Abuja" - Osun State Govt denies hoarding COVID-19 palliatives

The Osun State Government on Friday, October 23, said COVID-19 palliatives were not distributed up till now because those in charge were waiting for approval and formal flag-off by donor, Coalition Against Covid-19 (CACOVID) Abuja.

Recall that suspected hoodlums on Friday looted COVID-19 palliatives kept in warehouses located on the premises of Coca Processing Industrial in Ede.

In a statement issued by the Osun State Ministry of Information, Alhaji Bayo Jimoh, the Secretary of Osun State Food and Relief Committee, who is in charge of the food donated by (CACOVID) denied reports that the food items were hoarded, adding that they can only be distributed after a formal flag-off by the CACOVID Office, Abuja.

“It is not true that the food items were hoarded. The food items can only be distributed after a formal flag-off by the CACOVID Office, Abuja. We do not have the authority to distribute the food items without approval from Abuja,” he said.

The residents of the state lamented that the food items that were meant to serve as relief during lockdown was kept at the warehouse up till now.

But Bayo said the committee was 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,” he added.

Read full statement below:

Ede Warehouse Attack: Putting the Records Straight
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.
The Committee wrote to CACOVID as recently as September 28, 2020, reminding it of the rice component, which is yet to be delivered.
Part of the letter reads: “I wish to refer to our letter on the above subject and wish to request for the recent update on the rice component expected to have been delivered to the State, and also to seek your advice on the exact time the State should expect delivery, considering the fact that items already received into the Warehouse are food materials and are perishable with limited shelve lives.
“May I recall in our previous discussions that the delay experienced is due to increase in cost of rice and delivery, that the amount paid to suppliers could no longer cover cost of purchase and delivery to Osun. “
However, up until this moment, we are yet to receive response from CACOVID.
This is the truth about the status of the donated relief items until their unfortunate looting.