Cross River State governor, Bassey Otu has donated 600 bags of rice to thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) at Obutong and Ikot Effion IDPs camps in Bakassi local government area of Cross River State.
While reacting to the donations, the national coordinator of Bakassi Returnees and chairman, Camp Management Committee, Prince Asim-Joseph Inyang, lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Bassey Edet Otu.
He said they are celebrating because “for eight years, no administration ever remembered the IDPs.
The IDPs lauded the state and federal government for making available 600bags of rice to the IDP camp to alleviate their suffering.
Inyang, who stressed that he was passionate about the welfare of the IDPs, explained that the joy of receiving government palliative was the purpose of the celebration.
The IDPs’ chairman said, “Throughout the period when Ben Ayade was in power, the displaced persons in Bakassi did not get anything as compared to what they have now as food.
“We are celebrating because of the food security which we are privileged to witnessed. No man in his right frame of mind would fail to jubilate if food is made available to him at a time that he has almost lost hope.
“The IDPs asked me to hire a vehicle that can take them to Càlabar to show appreciation to the state and federal government for their act of magnanimity. It’s the reason you see almost every one jubilating in these camps.”
Like the proverbial Oliver Twist, the IDPs appealed to Otu to make more bags of rice available as they prepare for the yuletide period.
In her remarks, the women leader at Ekpri Obutong Returnees Camp, Blessing Eyo appealed for creation of jobs for the IDPs saying it was the only way to better their lots.