By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
THE President and Chairman of Tompolo Foundation, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo has donated food items worth N150 million to the recent flood victims in Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states.
The relief items were officially handed over to representatives of the victims across the three states on Monday in Warri in a mini fanfare.
Dr Bebenimibo presenting the items to one of the representatives of the beneficiaries
Presenting the items on behalf of the foundation, Executive secretary of Tompolo Foundation, Dr Paul Bebenimibo, while presenting the materials, listed the items to include: 2,400 bags of rice, 100 bags of beans, 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.
Third from left, Dr Bebenimibo addressing journalists on Monday.
Bebenimibo said that the donation would help to cushion the effect of the disaster on the victims and also help them settle down faster at their respective homes while awaiting more donations from other bodies.
“It is no longer news that our country was greeted with massive flood disaster some times ago and the impact was overwhelming, especially on the people of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers.
“The Tompolo Foundation was established to care for the underprivileged in the society and we have been on the mission in the past 10 years.
“Specifically in 2012 when similar flood came up, we were on hand to provide palliatives for the people. This year, we have come to do the same thing.
“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 to the people,” he said.
Bebenimibo said that Bayelsa, being the worst hit by the disaster, would received 600 bags of rice and others items.
He added that Ahoda East and West local government areas of Rivers, where the impact was most devastating, would benefit from the palliative.
“Bayelsa with seven impacted local government areas will receive 600 bags of rice and other items.
“While in Delta, we are distributing to Bomadi, Patani and Burutu local government areas. We will also extend our hands of fellowship to Isoko, Urhobos and Ndokwa nations in the state,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the government of Bayelsa, Mr McDonald Igbadiwe, member representing Constituency Four, Southern Ijaw, thanked the Foundation for the generosity.
He said that Bayelsa was the most impacted state with the flood, adding it was cut off from other parts of the country.
The lawmaker said that the state government spent over One Billion Naira to ameliorate the impact of the disaster on the people and urged other people to emulate the generosity of Tompolo.
“The flood impact in Bayelsa can only be compare 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 to come to the aid of the 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, Mr Vincent Oyibode, Commissioner representing the Urhobo Nation at the Delta Oil Producing Area and Development Commission (DESOPADEC) thanked Tompolo for the good gesture.
Oyibode, who received the palliatives on behalf of the Urhobo nation, described Tompolo as a generous leader and prayed God to continue to strengthen him.
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