The Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has dismissed claims that it received 200 truckloads of food items from the federal government as false.
At a news event in Calabar on Monday, SEMA Director General James Anam addressed the rumors, stating, “The news of 200 trailers of food items being sent to Cross River State has caused a stir. This has led many to believe that a significant effort was being made to address food scarcity in the state.”
Anam clarified that the information was fabricated and designed to create a false sense of relief.
However, he acknowledged that from April 24, 2024, to May 18, 2024, in collaboration with the State Ministry of Agriculture, they received food items from the National Strategic Reserve. These included 3,384 25kg bags of garri, 24,000 25kg bags of rice, and 14,040 50kg bags of maize.
SEMA also received approval from Governor Bassey Otu to swap 600 100kg bags of beans and 800 50kg bags of garri.
Furthermore, Anam expressed disappointment over the spread of false information, emphasizing that misinformation can have serious consequences by distracting from real issues and hindering genuine efforts to address community challenges.