The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)said it has commenced distribution of food items donated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), a Saudi Arabia based international humanitarian organization.
The support, launched in Kano on Tuesday aimed to reach vulnerable persons in the state, Borno, Jigawa and Katsina States.
According to the agency, “The distribution today covered about 500 beneficiaries out of 2,056 enumerated to receive the food basket in Kano State.”
The flagging-off ceremony of the distribution conducted by the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf represented by his Deputy, Aminu Abdulsalam was attended by the Director General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar.
Represented by the Agency’s Director Special Duties, Hajiya Fatima Suleiman Kasim, the Director General said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given approval for the distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of food items from the National Strategic Grains Reserve to people in the 774 Local Government Areas in the country.
She noted that “The gesture by the KSrelief was appreciated and facilitated as complementary to efforts by the Federal Government to cushion the impacts of global economic situation being felt in Nigeria.”
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As contained in a statement on Wednesday by the agency, on his part, Governor Yusuf appreciated the Government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the kind gesture.
He equally appreciated the Federal Government through NEMA for facilitating the food supports to the state and especially “the Federal Government for always supporting the people of Kano State in times of needs.”
The governor also thanked His Majesty, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia for considering Nigeria and the State for this particular food supports.
Also speaking, Abdulrahman Abdulaziz Albaben who led the KSrelief team from Saudi Arabia to monitor the distribution said the gesture was from the Centre’s Eta’am Basket Project in Nigeria to support the feeding of the vulnerable persons impacted by recent economic challenges.