Osun Government has commenced the immediate distribution of the rice component of Private Sector Coalition Against Covid-19 (CACOVID) donated to the State.

The distribution followed the delivery of the much expected 40,332 of 10kg bags of rice component of CACOVID palliatives aimed at cushioning the adverse effects of the dreaded global Coronavirus pandemic.

This is just as the members of CACOVID monitoring and evaluation team commended the State government for its well-designed distribution template.

It will be recalled that the State government during a jointly addressed press conference on Monday disclosed its readiness to commence the distribution of the rice component of the CACOVID palliatives on receipt.

Addressing journalists while deliverying the bags of rice to the State government officials at the State Secretariat, the Osun Coordinator, CACOVID Monitoring and Evaluation Team, Mr. Ademola Adebisi, applauded the State government for adopting a strategic distribution process that captures every segment of the society.

Adebisi noted that the State government had distinguished itself and demonstrated high sense of transparency and accountability in its resolve to ensure that the food items get to the targeted beneficiaries across the State.

“I am extremely impressed with what I have seen here. I have spoken with the Commissioner in charge of this and I have seen some of the beneficiaries of this palliative items.

“I have looked through the way the palliatives are being distributed and I must confess that I am pleased with the template of the distribution which takes care of every vulnerable group in the State.

“I have seen the representatives of the local governments in the State, and as a matter of fact, the whole thing is going on smoothly as expected. We have also seen members of the informal sector; Muslim and Christian leaders; leadership of the Civil Society Organisations; vulnerable groups; members of the National Youths Council of Nigeria; community leaders, among others who have come to obtain the rice for their people.

“The onward distribution is highly impressive as they make sure that everybody is considered. So, I can say authoritatively that the distribution is going on well and everybody is involved”, he added.

Responding to the question that the State deliberately hoarded the looted CACOVID palliatives during the Endsars protest, Adebisi said Osun government acted in line with the CACOVID directive to wait for the flag-off of the distribution of the palliative items.

Adebisi who noted that no benefitting State has control over the distribution of the palliatives as at the time the first batch was supplied to the States, said it was unfortunate that the items were looted by miscreants and misinformed members of the public.

He vindicated the Osun government over the looting, just as he noted that the onward distribution of the rice component upon the delivery would go a long way to avert possible recurrence of the dastardly act occasioned by the Endsars protest.

Adebisi assured of CACOVID’s commitment to supporting Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable people with different life-supporting interventions, as the nation begins to experience the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Commissioner for Commerce, Industries, Cooperatives and Empowerment, Dr. Bode Olaonipekun, said the State was determined to ensure adequate distribution of the rice across the State.

He said the State would follow to the letter the statistics of the vulnerable in the State which had been the guideline for meeting their critical needs.

“We are here receiving the rice component of the CACOVID palliatives, which is the expected part of the CACOVID food and relief materials that were looted at the cocoa processing warehouse at Ede.

“We are receiving 40,332 10kg bags of rice meant for different vulnerable groups in the State and we have adopted a strategy to ensure onward distribution.

“There is no going to be any form of warehousing as the rice will be distributed as it arrives. As you can see, we have commenced the distribution of some that we have received and this will continue until we receive all.

“We have already designed the template for the distribution and those that are collecting for today are already here and they are taking the items turn by turn. We have about 12 to 13 groups in each of the local governments, and the items will be distributed accordingly”, Olaonipekun stated.

Commending the distribution process, the Public Relations Officer, Osun Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Comrade Ajala Adetunji, lauded the state government for adopting a transparent process in the distribution exercise.

Adetunji who expressed satisfaction on the shares of the youth from the rice, enjoined government to continue to display transparency and accountability in all it does.

“What I have seen so far has been very transparent as this can be attested to from what we have seen in the distribution process”, he added.