The Federal Government’s failure to ensure equitable distribution of palliatives may prevent the poor from obeying the stay-at-home orders issued to combat the spread of coronavirus in the country.
Anglican Bishop of the Niger Diocese, Rt. Rev Owen Nwokolo stated this in his Easter message on Sunday at the All Saints’ Cathedral, Onitsha, Anambra State.
The clergyman claimed that some regions of the country have been marginalised in the distribution of funds and relief materials donated by well-meaning individuals and corporate entities.
He warned government functionaries against diverting the funds and palliatives meant to provide succour to the poor.
“We only hear some of those things in the news, the palliative measures. The economy is biting hard on the populace.
“The palliatives should be distributed equally to all parts of the country. We hear they were sent to some parts of the North; even some of them in the North say the usual N5,000 they have been receiving does not come longer.
“The Federal Government should not be shutting down movements without palliatives to survive it. It is not a time to divert anything.
“Let those who have the responsibility of distributing those things spread them without hiding them from people who they are meant for or hoarding them,” Nwokolo said.
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