Monarch Wants Food Items For Flood Victims

The Federal Government has been called upon to make available more food to flood victims in Rivers State in general and the rural communities in particular.

Traditional ruler and chief of Abi family in Owerewere Community of Abua/Odualko, Chief Tony Muzan Ekpelu who made the call in a telephone interview with our correspondent said what was done in Taraba State among other northern states should also be replicated in Rivers State.

According to Chief Ekpelu, the federal and states governments “pumped massive funds and food in Taraba state and elsewhere” and said it should also be done in the South-South states of the country.

Ekpedu who is also the chairman of Owerewere Council of Chiefs said his community only had 100 bags of maize.

He regretted that since the maize was primarily meant for consumption it was inadequate for a large community reputed to be the second largest in the old Ahoada Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Chief Ekpelu, retired Assistant Controller of Customs said maize was not even a staple of the People of Abua as a whole, and wondered how effective the maize has helped in checking hunger among the people.

He further opined that the federal government should provide food for the people that would last till June when they were expected to be harvesting what they (farmers) have replanted.

He lamented that the people were suffering so much given that more than 90% of them are agrarian.

On efforts he has made to bee to the alleviation of the suffering of the farmers, the former customs boss a said “I called on the chairman of Abua/Odual local government area, Hon Udi Odum and Hon Betty Apiafi who is representing us at the federal level.

“They both said they don’t have plans that they were waiting on whatever the federal government provides”.

“That is what Udi told me and that is what Betty Apiafi told me” he said.

Corroborating Chief Ekpeluis claims, the paramount ruler of Owerewere Chief T.K.D. Ezikwas said “we wrote to the authorities about the inadequacies of food to the people.

“Although they brought maize and garri but the garri was bad already so nobody ate it” he said.

According to Chief Ezikwas a former management staff of The Tide Newspapers nothing else was brought to Owerewere Community as a post flood relief materials.

As at the time of going to press, efforts to speak with Hon. Apiafi and Hon Udi Odum was not successful.