By; VITALIS UGOH, Calabar.
The two camps housing the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Bakassi/Akpabuyo Friday rejected some relief materials donated to them by the Cross River state governor, Senator Ben Ayade describing it as a “mockery to their current plight”.
They had wondered how the state governor could direct the Commissioner for Social Housing, Hon. Ededem Okokon to donate relief materials that could not go round the people in the camps.
There are 3,720 persons in the camp with 960 families at the moment.
The Internally Displaced Persons IDPs according to our investigation revealed that they have never received any relief material since 2014.
The governor had recently during a visit promised to donate relief materials to the camps but regrettably what they saw was “this mockery” called donation.
The donation was carried out by the Commissioner in charge of the Ministry of Social Housing Development, Hon. Ededem Okokon.
According to source close to the camps, the materials were presented through the UN Desk officer Mrs. Vivian Odu of the Ministry of International Development.
Speaking to our Correspondent, the chairman of the Akpabuyo camp, Mr. Etim Okon Ene, expressed shock that the governor could send this as a relief material to us
He said “I was just informed through a telephone call that the governor is coming to make a donation and I left my farm only to be shocked from what I saw”.
Ene who received the items on behalf of the IDPs said “I don’t know how to share this little items to over 965 families. He however thanked the governor for the gesture and pleaded that he should show more commitment to their plight.
He called on the state government to provide them with water, medicare and more relief materials.
When contacted, the director general of State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Mr. John Idaku denied knowledge of any donation to the camp.
Also speaking the Commissioner for Social Housing Development Hon. Ededem Okokon queried “who gave you my telephone number. Pls I am not the Commissioner and know nothing about the donation”.
