Gov Diri expresses anger to FG over school feeding

By Ebi Perekeme 

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr Douye Diri, has faulted the Federal Government for deliberately sidelining the state in the implementation of the multi-billion naira school feeding and conditional cash transfer programmes.

Diri spoke when the Federal Commissioner in charge of the South at the Code of Conduct Bureau, Dr Emmanuel Attah, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Yenagoa, on Wednesday.

He pointed out that the South-South states, where over 60 per cent of the resources used in executing the social programmes was generated, had yet to benefit significantly almost three years after the schemes commenced.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said Bayelsa had only received 1,800 bags of rice from the Federal Government as palliative for the COVID-19 pandemic started.

He urged the Federal Government to commence the social security programmes in the state.

Diri also called on the Nigerian Agip Oil Company and its joint venture partners to expedite action on the completion of the 200-bed Infectious Diseases Control Hospital in Igbogene, a suburb of Yenagoa, the state capital.

Diri said, “The school feeding programme and even the conditional cash transfer have yet to take off in Bayelsa State. All we hear is that they are collecting data, and we are even encouraging them to go round to collect the data.”