COVID-19: Burutu Political Leaders Splurge Millions On Food Items For Communities  – The Liberator

By Binebai Princewill

As the lockdown continue in Delta State to avert rampant spread of coronavirus in the state, political leaders, particularly from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Burutu Local Government Area recenly see the need to converge to splurge millions of naira on food items to all communities in the Local Government Area to ameliorate the sufferings of the people occasioned by the lockdown.

Disturbed by what the people of Burutu Local Government Area are passing through over the 28 days lockdown in the state, political leaders thought it wise to come together through a contributory scheme to buy massive food items for the people.

Speaking on behalf of the political leaders and appointees in Burutu Local Government that contributed for the rare gesture, Rt. Hon. Solomon Funkekeme, Senior Political Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa while addressing the media noted that the political leaders in the Local Government cannot sleep when people of the Local Government are in pains and hunger necessitated by the lockdown to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

Hon. Funkeme Solomon, one of the most influential political leader in Burutu Local Government and Delta State at large had noted that hunger does not know party, colour and what have you, he stressed that the food items are going to be distributed to all the communities in the Local Government without party lines.

Sen. Manager Deserves Kudos, He Supported This Initiative – Funkekeme Solomon

The senior political adviser had hinted journalists and members of Burutu Local Government Council that the Senator representing Delta South Senatorial District, Sen. James Manager supported the initiative massively with funds, adding that he has to be appreciated for his kind gesture.

Hon. Solomon had assured residents of the council that formidable structures has been put in place by the political leaders to ensure that the food items gets to the people at the grass root.

He aserted that His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State has put up measures to distribute food items across the council from the Delta State food bank.

Funkekeme expressed optimism that he is sure that the Governor will begin to distribute from its food bank to all parts of the state including Burutu Local Government, maintaining that the efforts from the state Government does not have any link with what the Burutu Local Government political leaders are doing with the food items.

He also appreciated the honourable members representing Burutu North and South In the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Asupa Peter Forteta, Burutu North and Hon. Pullah Ekpotuayerin, Burutu South for providing relief materials for residents of the council from their respective offices, adding that it is indeed a laudable gesture.

Every Single Item Will Be Shared Among Residents of The Constituency – Pondi Vows

Speaking to the media, Hon. Julius Pondi, member representing Burutu Federal Constituency in the house of representatives had vowed that the high powered team of leaders put in place will ensure that everything is shared equitably to the people in the constituency as the purpose would not be hijacked, assuring that not even a pin will be shared in Warri as everything will be going direct to the people in the communities constituting Burutu Local Government Area.

Hon. Pondi, one of the most loved politician in the Local Government particularly praised Governor Okowa for the lockdown order and his measures in curtailing the spread of the virus in the state.

Pondi stated that Governor Okowa deserves kudos from Deltans from his proactive steps so far, adding that the people from his primary constituency must not claim ignorance of the disease as it is a must to adhere to the three major preventive measures put in place by the World Health Organisation (WHO), such as frequent watching of hands with soap, use of hand sanitizers as well as social distancing.

Hon. Pondi expressed optimism that by the time the massive food items from the Burutu Local Government political leaders and that of the Delta State Government reaches the people of the Local Government, he is sure that it will largely ameliorate the sufferings of the people to a great extent.

The federal lawmaker assured the people of Burutu that the food items will not be shared along party lines across the council, adding that everyone should relax as residents will get what is due them.

Coronavirus Is Real, No One Should Claim Ignorant of It – Dr Takeme Warns

However, on his part, Chief (Dr) Julius Takeme, Chairman Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Delta South Senatorial District has hinted Deltans that coronavirus which has become a global pandemic in the world, humbling even greater nations is not a decoy but real, stressing that everyone must and should adhere to the safety measures provided by WHO.

Dr. Takeme had particularly lauded the coming together of politicians in Burutu Local Government Area for the purpose of alleviating the sufferings of the people.

Chief Takeme, the bolouwei of Obotebe kingdom, otherwise known as Umbi in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State called on Deltans, particularly the people of Burutu Local Government Area to be conscious of coronavirus pandemic in the world and Delta state.

He noted that Governor Okowa has been working before even the state records its first case and until this moment the Governor is having sleepless nights on how to put the virus under control in the state.

Chief Takeme however expressed confidence that the virus will soon be a thing of the past, with a plea for Deltans to join the Governor in prayers with a view of totally eradicating the disease in Delta State.

If Not For Measures Put In Place By Governor Okowa, This Virus Would Have Spread More Than This – Amb Agediga

On his part, Amb. Shedrack Agediga, Executive Director, Planning, Research and Statistics (DESOPADEC) has informed Deltans that if not for the measures put in place by the Delta State Governor, His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the virus would have by now spread, affected and killed more people in the state.

He noted that at this point, Governor Okowa deserves more praises from Deltans as the extension is for the best interest of Deltans to avert possible spread of the virus.

When asked if there could be possible diversion of the foods from getting to the supposed beneficiaries, the DESOPADEC Executive Director noted that there is no way the foods can be diverted to anywhere as the team which include himself will not allow such a petty thing to happen.

Agediga particularly stated that with the death of the former chief of staff to president Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari who died of coronavirus, no one should doubt the existence of the virus, stressing that anyone that is doing so is at his own risk.

It would be recalled that Amb. Agediga had spent his personal money through his foundation, operating under the auspices of Shedrack Agediga Foundation (SAF) visited the creeks in the Local Government and communities to sensitize the people with sharing of hand sanitizers, liquid soaps, tap buckets, face masks as well as buckets across Ogulagha, Iduwini and Obotebe kingdoms in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

Recently, SAF alone, under the able leadership of Agediga has purchased food items for all communities in Ogulaha kingdom to cushion the effect of the lockdown in the state.

This Is Laudable, As A Council, We Appreciates The Burutu Local Government Political Leaders – Chief Ikisa

Vice chairman of Burutu Local Government Council, Hon. (Chief) Combolous Ikisa had lauded leaders of the Burutu Local Government political leaders for their contributions in ensuring that residents of the council gets food to eat at this trying time.

He particularly prayed for the leaders to continue to increase financially and otherwise as the people at the grass root will continue to remember and celebrate them for the kind gesture.

Some of the food items distributed to the ward leaderships in Burutu Local Government Area in Warri earlier today includes bags of rice, bags of garri, kegs of palm oil, bags of beans, bags of salts as well as cartons of indomie noodles.

Meanwhile, the distribution of the food items across all wards in Burutu Local Government Area witnessed the presence of lots of elected and political appointees in the Local Government Area.

Photo, The Liberator Newspaper