There are worrying concerns that the ongoing distribution of relief materials from the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to enumerated disaster victims in the 18 Local Government Areas of the state, through the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, should be discontinued after alarmed sources maintained to www.calitown.com that some government officials and certain private individuals have suddenly become the biggest beneficiaries of this process.
At the Barracks Road premises of the CRS Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, “brisk business is going on as some of these government officials and private individuals drive in and out of the place in commercial trucks, government vehicles and private cars, conveying materials to private destinations, unknown destinations and sometimes to nearby Bogobiri, in Calabar, where these materials are then sold off; this is unfair”, one source who has elected to remain anonymous, told us.
“For now if you go to the Barracks Road office of CRSEMA when the distribution process is on, you will see people with evidence of registration, struggling to be attended to, but the officials prefer to deal with those with vehicles that are suspected to have settled them”, another said.
“Remember too that the SEMA warehouse was thoroughly burgled during the unfortunate EndSars saga because it hoarded stuff that should have gone to ordinary Nigerians, letting government officials have a field day that they didn’t deserve…those elements in that place have learnt no lesson. Let them be wary of their sharp practices so that their actions do not result in a breakdown of law and order.”
“I suggest that all those who were registered for collection of the relief materials but are yet to get them should let the public know, it is important, so that the right thing will be done.”
Officials of SEMA, contacted in the course of this story all refused to react to questions asked saying they had no written authorizations to talk to the press.
