The Director General of Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Rev. James Anam, has said it has received the state's share of palliative distributed by the federal government to the 36 states.
The SEMA boss promised, however, that the palliative would be distributed equitably.
In an interview with some newsmen in Calabar Anam listed the items received to include Garri, Maize and Rice.
According to him, while the state got Maize and Garri from the National Food Reserve, it however got the Rice from the federal ministry of agriculture.
Anam assured of equitable distribution of the palliative items across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
According to him, "we received a total of 14,040 bags of 50kg of maize, 3,380 bags of 50kg of garri from the National Food Reserve while we received 14,000 bags of 25kg of rice from the agric ministry.
"These items were relieved by the state just last week."
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Erasmus Ekpang, said a committee that will ensure equitable distribution of the items to the intended recipient is already in place.
He said unlike before, the committee is an all inclusive one that involved security agencies and other groups, including the people with disabilities.
"The commitee is comprises of DSS, Police, Immigration, SEMA, women group, youths as well as people with disabilities.
"Infact, each of the group members will be physically present in all the local government during the distribution which date is yet to be determined. This is to ensure that only those who are meant to receive the palliative get it."
Ndifreke BASSEY, The Beagle News
