Bickering, discordant voices in Cross River as persons with disability protest over diversion of palliatives

The protest by persons living with disabilities in Cross River State on Tuesday over the hoarding and diversion of palliatives allocated to them by the State Government has generated controversy with two Commissioners engaging in a media war.

Some members of the Joint National Association of People With Disabilities, JONAPWD staged a protest over the diversion of 47 out of 200 bags of rice and the cash allocated to its different clusters – visually impaired, speech impaired, albinism, and the physically challenged.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government had in August, announced a NGN5 billion palliative package for each State of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. Governor Bassey Out of Cross River announced a committee for distribution in September, almost a month after.

But, soon after, activists slammed the decision to distribute the palliatives on political party lines, an allegation initially denied and is now all, but confirmed with the protest by JONAPWD members on Tuesday.

The leader of disabled persons in Cross River All Progressives Congress, Mr. Livinus Ebingha had in a letter dated October 19, 2023, addressed to the Governor, said he was aware some persons in the Ministry of Social Welfare and Community Development, collaborated with one Mr. Agbor Ojua to circumvent the intended distribution process of the rice palliatives meant for persons with disabilities across the state.

Ebingha, who said he is “deeply troubled by the gross misconduct and disregard for the leadership within the disability community,” urged the governor to intervene and direct those involved to provide explanations for their roles in the theft.

“Persons with disabilities in Cross River State deserve fair and equal access to the support that has been allocated for them, and we look to your leadership to ensure that their rights are upheld,” Ebingha wrote in the letter which copied two Commissioners and the Governor’s Chief of Staff.

And following inaction on the letter, a protest was staged at the entrance of the Ministries of Social Welfare and Humanitarian Affairs in Calabar, some distance from the Governor’s office and the Humanitarian Affairs Commissioner, Dr. Helen Egodo addressing the members who said some Local Governments like Biase were yet to receive their palliatives.

Dr. Egodo who said she was on her way to attend the Cross River State Digitalization Project (GRID) conference organized by the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations expressed displeasure at the situation.

She promised to investigate the matter and hold those responsible accountable, while emphasizing that people living with disabilities deserve equal access to resources and support, especially in times of crisis.

Shortly after videos of the protest trended on social media, some supporters of the Commissioner of Social Welfare and Community Development, Dr. Margaret Ene-Ita responded via unsigned statement dated October 24, 2023 only published by CrossRiverWatch though shared to other platforms.

The statement accused Egodo of instigating the protest by a “faction of JONAPWD” whom they said had been sacked by a Court in Calabar. Ene-Ita’s statement said the protest was based on misinformation and personal agenda, not genuine concerns. They alleged that some members were told they were to receive NGN25,000 at the ministry but were shocked to find a different offer.

They said the Monitoring and Evaluation team of the Social Welfare ministry has since received reports of the distribution led by Mr. Agbor Ojua and averred that a phrase credited to Dr. Egodo; “It should have been me,” is proof of their allegations.

Egodo in her response through an unsigned statement dated October 25th published because her aides shared same, questioned the motive of the Social Welfare Ministry, which allegedly distributed incomplete palliatives to the disabled community.

The Commissioner challenged the relevance of the Court verdict that dissolved the leadership of JONAPWD and queried whether that stopped them from being members of the persons with disabilities association while demanding answers on the whereabout of the diverted bags of rice. She insisted that the protest was justified and not influenced by any personal agenda.

Egodo who said the protesters did nothing wrong by sending a copy of the petition to her, averred that: “Esteemed members of the public are expecting an apology or an explanation from the actors involved in such disdainful act, disappointedly, they are getting press releases of accusations and unnecessary spitefulness.”

Welfare ministry said was “observing the demonstration,” as “one of the protesters moved away when he noticed that they were on record.” The statement claimed that there is video evidence to that effect.

Again, another unsigned statement issued by supporters of Dr. Ene-Ita while responding to Egodo’s statement, raised concerns about “it should have been me,” statement, querying why she did not oversee the distribution since she claims authority to do so.

They insisted that the absence of a copy of the petition to Dr. Ene-Ita also raises concerns and posed three questions:
1. Why did the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, and Chairperson of the Palliative Distribution Committee approve the collection pass for the disability group to the Commissioner of Social Welfare and Community Development, not the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs as claimed, “It should have been me”
2. Why did the Director-General of the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA release the palliatives to the Commissioner of Social Welfare and Community Development if the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs believed she should have overseen the distribution.
3. Where was the Commissioner of Humanitarian Affairs when the distribution of palliatives was approved by the Chairman.

Meanwhile, on the same day of the protest, the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC in Cross River State resolved to set up a standing committee to “investigate the appropriation, procurement, and distribution of palliatives” which it said was in line with “the peer review policy initiated by the national leadership of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Abuja.”

Five party chairpersons were selected for the assignment and are expected to submit their report to the Council on or before December 1st, 2023, which will be forwarded to the National Palliative Committee as well as IPAC national headquarters.

A statement issued by the Chairman, Anthony Bissong Attah, named the following: Dr. Ambo Ekpenyong (SDP)- Chairman, Pastor Ntami Esege (APM)- Secretary, Comrade Rose Atu (BP)- Member, Amb. Ogar Osim (LP)- Member and Surveyor Patrick Agbor (ADC) as Member.

By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Report)