FG delivers 110 trucks of rice, grains as coronavirus lockdown palliatives to Kano 

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 10 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 will 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.