Relief materials create confusion

 

Relief materials brought by the management of Dana Airlines to alleviate the plight of displaced residents of the crash site caused confusion on Friday.

While the Dana delegation wanted to hand over the materials to the village head for proper distribution, some of the victims insisted that they would get them directly to serve the purpose they were meant for.

The materials, which included mattresses, pillows, bed sheets, beverages, noodles, soaps, blankets, buckets and cutleries, were brought by three directors of the airline.

The Dana delegation included Head of Corporate Communication, Tony Usidamen; Head of Administration, Anand Bangarsamy; two directors, Gautam Hathiramani and Francis Ogboro; and Jagjit Sundaram of cabin services.

The confusion arose over a list of displaced persons prepared by the Community Development Association of the area, which was represented by the chairman, Adewale Oriowo.

But another resident, Chike Okwuosa, who claimed to be the host of most of the displaced persons, said he did not believe in any list prepared by anybody.

While the Dana delegation wanted to take the relief materials to the village chief for onward distribution to the victims, Okwuosa insisted that the victims, most of whom he said were on ground, should get the materials to avoid a situation where those who were not affected getting everything.

This caused a  disagreement and shouting match before it was resolved that the CDA should be left to handle the distribution.

Okwuosa, who said he was not a victim, but a concerned neighbour, told SATURDAY PUNCH that he was only trying to make sure that the distribution of the materials was not mired in controversy.

“By God’s grace, I am not a victim, but I have been accommodating some of these people who have lost everything they have. I want Dana to give whatever they brought as relief materials to those that are directly affected, not to some people on a list that I don’t know anything about.

PUNCH NEWSPAPER