The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has dispatched 110 trucks of foodstuff to Kano State government for distribution as palliatives to the needy and vulnerable residents in the state.
A statement signed by Salisu Dambatta on behalf of Minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq, said the ministry had earlier delivered ten trailer-loads of parboiled rice to the Kano state government.
According to him, the additional delivery was in compliance to the directive of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, on the instruction of President Muhammadu Buhari, following the incessant deaths in the state.
“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,” the statement said.
The statement recalled that the President had earlier directed the 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 COVID-19 in Nigeria.
“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,” the minister noted.
Ms Umar-Farouq assured the NEMA DG, Mustapha Maihaja that the ministry would continue to work closely with all the agencies under its purview in discharging its mandates.
This, she said, included 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, Mr Maihaja assured that the Agency would work closely with State Governments to ensure effective monitoring and accountability in distributing the palliatives.
