The lawmaker said that the state government had spent over N1 billion to ameliorate the impact of the flood on people, urging other people to emulate the generosity of Tompolo.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Ex-militant Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo has donated food items worth N150 million to victims of flood in Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers.
Tompolo, who is the President and Chairman of Tompolo Foundation, handed the items to representatives of the victims across the three states on Monday in Warri, Delta.
The foundation’s Executive Secretary, Dr Paul Bebenimibo, said the items included 2400 bags of rice; 100 bags of beans and 200 bags of garri.
Others were 5,000 tubers of yam, 200 kegs of palm oil, 600 cartons of groundnut oil and 2,000 cartons of Indomie noodles.
Bebenimibo said that the donation from Tompolo would cushion the effect of the disaster on the flood victims and also help them to settle down faster in their respective homes while awaiting donations from other bodies.
“The President and Chairman of Tompolo Foundation has approved palliatives worth N150 million to be distributed to the people of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers.
“We are here to hand them over to the representatives of the beneficiaries so that they can move them to their destinations and distribute them to the people,” he said.
Bebenimibo said that Bayelsa, being the worst hit by the disaster, would receive 600 bags of rice and other items.
He added that Ahoda East and West Local Government areas of Rivers, where the impact was great, would benefit from the palliatives.
Responding on behalf of the government of Bayelsa, McDonald Igbadiwe, a member representing Constituency IV, Southern Ijaw, thanked the foundation for its generosity.
Igbadiwe said Bayelsa was the most impacted state by the flood, adding that it was cut off from other parts of the country.
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The lawmaker said that the state government had spent over N1 billion to ameliorate the impact of the flood on people, urging other people to emulate the generosity of Tompolo.
“The flood impact in Bayelsa can only be compared with that of Pakistan. We are riverine people, but we have not experienced such flood before.
“On behalf of the Government of Bayelsa, we appreciate what Tompolo has done by coming to the aid of people of Bayelsa.
“The Bayelsa Government and the people are happy, praying for him to live longer. We are grateful and praying God to give him sound health,” he said.
Also, Vincent Oyibode, the Commissioner, representing the Urhobo Nation at the Delta Oil Producing Area and Development Commission (DESOPADEC), thanked Tompolo for the donations to the flood victims.