Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has given an account of the relief materials taken from the state’s warehouse at Medical Stores Road, Benin-City.
In his account articulated by the State Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chris Nehiakare, the governor deposed that only 7,320 of about 1.1million relief materials were retained at the government warehouses.
Projecting that as evidence of the governor’s accountability with a table of the various items, it was averred that the majority of items looted from the Medical Stores road were medical items retained for essential use by the authorities.
He said:
“The position of the Edo State government is clear on the items removed by some people from government warehouses housing palliatives materials. The Medical Stores Road warehouse housed medical supplies and remnants of distributed palliatives meant to serve as a strategic reserve.
“As a responsive and responsible leader, Governor Godwin Obaseki ensured that palliative materials either acquired by the state government or received from donors such as individuals and corporate organizations were distributed across the state during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic between the months of April and June.
“Local councils, traditional leaders, and other stakeholders were involved in the distribution and the distribution was far-reaching across the length and breadth of Edo State. Visual proofs abound on this.
“In line with his policy of accountability and transparency, Governor Godwin Obaseki has provided a breakdown of the distribution of the relief materials, making it clear that only 7,320 of about 1.1million relief materials were retained at the government warehouses. Please see the attached table.
“It is sad that items taken from the Medical Stores Road warehouse were largely medical supplies and equipment. Those who participated in the breach of the warehouse have since confirmed this on the social media space.
“It is also worthy of note to point out that the Medical Stores Road warehouse is not the only one owned by the Edo State government and the rest of the warehouses are empty or near empty as the relief materials have since been distributed.
“Those who took part in the invasion of the government warehouses have since lamented that there was not much for them to take away from the warehouses unlike in some other states.
“Nothing is further from the truth that the Edo State government under Governor Godwin Obaseki hid relief materials meant to serve as a palliative for the people. Facts are sacred.”
