The
Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and
Social Development, has dispatched 110 trucks of palliatives foodstuff
from the Federal Government to the Kano State Government for
distribution to the needy, vulnerable and people of concern in the
state.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and
Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, said that the Ministry
delivered ten trailer-loads of parboiled rice to the state government
about two weeks ago, and in addition to that directed the National
Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to deliver 100 trucks of grains to
five locations in Kano State for distribution to poor and vulnerable
households on the instruction of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The
grains in 100 trailers now on their way to Kano, comprise millet,
sorghum and maize, which were released from silos holding the country’s
strategic food reserve located across the country.
It could be
recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Federal
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to release 70,000 metric
tons of food for distribution to less-privileged Nigerians to cushion
the effect of the lockdown aimed at checking the spread of the
killer-disease triggered by COVID-19 in Nigeria.
The Minister
emphasised that “One of the humanitarian interventions provided by the
Federal Government is the delivery of food items as palliatives to the
poor and vulnerable in all states affected by the Covid-19 pandemic to
ease the lockdown situation”.
Sadiya Farouq assured the Director
General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Engineer Mustapha
Maihaja that: “The Ministry will continue to work closely with all the
agencies under its purview, including the National Emergency Management
Agency (NEMA), in discharging its mandates, including providing
effective coordination of humanitarian interventions both nationally and
internationally for the benefit of the citizens of this country,
especially during this Covid-19 Pandemic.”
She highlighted the
need for the Agency to work closely with the Ministry and its sister
agencies in all the states in monitoring the effective distribution of
the palliatives to ensure that the food items reach the intended
beneficiaries, especially in states under lockdown.
In his
remark, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA), Engr. Mustapha Maihaja assured the Minster that the Agency
will work closely with State Governments to ensure the effective
monitoring and accountability in distributing the palliatives, and
thanked the Minister for the visit and her support to NEMA in
discharging its duties for the benefit of Nigerians.
Signed.
Salisu Na’inna Dambatta
For Honourable Minister
April 28, 2020.