The Federal Government has delivered a total of 139 truck-loads, the equivalent of 5,318 metric tons of assorted foodstuff to the government of Kano state for distribution to the less-privileged, the vulnerable and people living with disabilities as palliatives against the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A statement from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, indicates that the food relief delivered to the country’s most populous state comprise 10 trucks of rice; 2,438 metric tons of Maize; 1,380 metric tons of millet and 900 metric tons of sorghum in a total of 139 trucks each ferrying 60 metric tons to feed 300,000 households
The Minister explained in the statement that while the 10 trucks of rice were from the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), the maize, millet and sorghum were drawn from the country’s strategic food reserves as authorized by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Sadiya Umar Farouq said as she handed over the food stuff to the Kano State Government: “With the utmost respect, I implore His Excellency to ensure that the poor and vulnerable, including the elderly and persons living with disabilities, are prioritized in the distribution of these relief materials because they are the most affected in times of crisis.”
On the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (CCT), the Minister disclosed that as on 6th May 2020, a total of 729,847 beneficiaries in 24 States have received their payment.
“I can happily report that out of that number, 84,045 of the beneficiaries are in 15 Local Government Areas of Kano State,” she said in the statement.
Beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme are extracted from the National Social Register which at the onset of the pandemic contained the data of over 2.6 million poor and vulnerable households, with over 11 million individuals across 34 States and the FCT.
“As of today, with the accelerated registration and rapid expansion, the Register has grown to 3.1 million households, containing 13 million individuals across 35 States and the FCT,” the Minister explained.
On the modified Home Grown School Feeding Programme, the Minister said that Kano State has registered 391,172 participating households with a total population of 1,173,516 individuals.
She assured that the modified programme through which packages of food rations are delivered to the home of pupils who are already in the programme.
The Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje commended President Muhammadu Buhari for supporting the state with the food palliatives to ease the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on the people of Kano state, and added that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has delivered the food items at the right time when it was most needed and assured the Minister that the food items will be delivered to the intended beneficiaries.
The Governor said that the state is ready to continue the modified Home-Grown School Feeding Programme which stopped in December 2019. He said that the number of pupils in the state has increased due to the free and compulsory primary and secondary education policy of the state government and therefore recommending that the school feeding data for the state be revised.
The Minister and her entourage was conducted round some of the stores where the relief foodstuff were stored before delivery to the targeted segment of the pupulation.
Signed
Salisu Na’inna Dambatta
For the Honourable Minister
May 17th, 2020.
