The Edo State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) for dragging Governor Godwin Obaseki into hardship issues in the state.
Apostle Dr. Irekpono Omoike, Chairman, Edo State CAN, disclosed this during a press conference at the Chancellery of the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin, in Benin City said the vandalized residence where bags of rice were looted by hoodlums in Urora, in Ikoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State is owned by a vendor contracted by the Edo State CAN Implementation Committee for the Christian Feeding Programme.
Omoike noted that the Edo State Government funded the Christian Feeding Programme, which is in its second phase of distributing relief materials to vulnerable Christian Groups, with 2 billion naira.
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He says, “There is a very important issue to correct: a wrong notion that is circulating is that the rice being distributed by the state government is rice supplied by the federal government and re-bagged. This is misinformation. It is a very wrong notion that needs to be corrected.
“Earlier this year, the Edo State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had a meeting with Governor Godwin Obaseki where he shared his concern on how to reach out to vulnerable persons and the poor who are bearing the hardship of the economic downturn in the country.
“After the meeting, an implementation committee for the Christian Feeding Programme was set up and CAN designed a programme to reach out to the poor through food palliatives.
“The governor released the 1st batch of the funding for the programme, which is 1 billion naira to purchase rice to be distributed. This was done and in May 2024, CAN flagged off the distribution of the first phase at the Baptist Convention Ground in Benin City.”
According to the Secretary of the CAN Implementation Committee for the Christian Feeding Programme, Revd Osagie Ehrunmwunse, “The truck in the viral video where bags of rice were looted belonged to a logistic company distributing the rice. The truck supplied by Ekpoma had a breakdown the previous night. The rice was meant for the Seventh Days Aventis, Latter Day Saints, vulnerable children, orphanages, and widows, among others.
“In an attempt for us to take that rice for safekeeping, that was when the products were looted by hoodlums. So that was exactly what happened on Thursday morning. Where the incident happened was not exactly a government warehouse. It is the house belonging to one of the rice suppliers for distribution.
“We are happy that nobody died in the process or got injured. But like Mr Chairman was responding, it’s disheartening to know that people have to twist the information by saying it’s federal government rice.
Recall that the All Progressives Congress in Edo State had on Thursday urged the people of the state to hold Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, responsible for the hardship in the state.
Briefing reporters in Benin, Edo APC chairman Jarrett Tenebe had accused Obaseki of diversion of Federal Government Palliatives, which he attributed as responsible for Hunger in Edo State.
Tenebe said Obaseki and his faction of the People’s Democratic Party have frustrated the genuine efforts of the federal government to considerably reduce the impact of economic hardship on Nigerians, especially in Edo State.
“Yesterday, Edo people watched Obaseki in disbelief during his hurriedly put together state broadcast, how in his eight minutes speech, he refused to acknowledge or give an account of the various financial grants and other palliatives his administration has received from the Federal Government.
“Instead, as usual, he wobbled and fumbled while struggling to blame his failure on his imaginary fictional story of plans by APC to attack government institutions in Edo State.”
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