Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Bauchi State have accused the federal and state government of supplying displaced citizens expired food.
The group alleged that they were given 300 bags of expired rice.
The leadership of the displaced persons, also confirmed that the entire consignment was destroyed to avoid health hazards in the camp.
While briefing newsmen, Chairman of the IDPs in Bauchi state, Buba Musa Shehu said the bags of rice meant for the IDPs were destroyed because they had overstayed in the store, therefore, making them dangerous for consumption.
The Chairman while addressing Journalists at the NUJ Secretariat also alleged that the 300 bags of rice were supplied by the Presidential Committee on North-East through SEMA but was kept in the store until it expired and not fit for human consumption.
The IDPs leader said that, “It is not every time we get relief materials or supply from government, but most of the time if SEMA and Presidential Committee on North-East Development receive relief materials, instead of sharing it in time they will keep it in store for a long time and by the time that they would share it is already expired and that was how we wasted three hundred bags of rice, we want the government to look into this issue
He urged the Federal Government and the North-East Development Commission to provide relief materials for displaced persons, to cushion the effect of their homelessness.
According to him most of the IDPs have nothing to eat and to reduce over-dependence on government, they should be trained in various skills acquisitions ventures so that they would be self-reliant.
On some among the IDPs who are in the habit of castigating government in the media, he advised that, “I know hunger is biting on us hard in the camp, and we have many problems but, I am calling on my people to stop condemning government unnecessarily on the issue of relief materials supply and they should channel their grievances through the leadership of the IDPs and SEMA
When contacted for reactions, the Permanent Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Shehu Ningi denied the allegations saying that as far as he is concerned, SEMA has not even received any consignment meant for IDPs for the year 2019.
He further lamented that sometimes, they would stay for one to two years before they get supplies.
