The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has expressed deep pain over the unfortunate stampedes that occurred in Ibadan, Okija, and Abuja during the distribution of rice and other palliatives which led to multiple deaths, and many injuries.
The Minority Leader,House of Representatives, Hon Kingsley Chinda ( PDP/Rivers) said the triple tragedies which occurred almost simultaneously was shocking coming at a time when people were preparing to mark the yuletide season.
“As a Caucus, it is saddening that in just a few days, we lost about 70 people; including children, nursing mothers, women, and the elderly as a result of stampedes that happened at the distribution points.
“It is heartbreaking, and heartrending that these victims paid the supreme price in search of what to eat. Pathetic, and dehumanizing!
“Due to biting economic situation that has led to debilitating poverty, and corrosive hunger, it is worrying that these terrible occurrences are gradually becoming the norm across the country.
“We are saddened that as a result of harsh economic realities, many people; who have fallen into untoward hardship, and penury throng any, and every empowerment palliatives event in search of what to eat,” he said.
Chinda who described the tragedies as a disturbing trend, appealed to the Federal Government and various intervention agencies to take immediate actions towards increasing and improving empowerment programmes.
He said that with the negative global attention these avoidable incidents have generated, the government at both national and state levels should do more by ensuring that these palliatives percolate to the right people that need them.
“As we commiserate with the families of those who died at the stampedes, and identify with those who suffered various degrees of injuries, the Caucus calls for proper security arrangements; full-proof crowd management; and appropriate medical services at the venues of distribution of empowerment palliatives by governments, agencies, politicians, religious bodies, social groups, and individuals,” the lawmaker said.
