May 2, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has flagged off the distribution of assorted food items comprising millet, sorghum, maize, and garri from the National Strategic Reserve to 126,000 vulnerable persons across the 17 LGAs of Yobe State.
The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, said the portions of the 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains were provided by the Federal Government to help cushion the effect of the food crisis in the country.
Speaking at the official flag-off ceremony in Damaturu on Wednesday, NEMA’s DG said the distribution was in fulfilment of the promise to reduce the impact of the current economic hardship in the country.
Umar, who was represented by the NEMA’s Zonal Director, North East Office, Alhaji Yakubu Suleiman, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in line with the renewed hope agenda, approved 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted food items under the custody of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
According to him, the assorted food commodities allocated to Yobe State included 21,000 bags of assorted grains made up of 50 lkg of Maize, Millet, and Sorghum, to be distributed to the identified deserving beneficiaries in the communities through a constituted committee.
In his remark, Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, said the Federal Government was complementing the efforts of the State Government through the Strategic Grain Reserve Programme with the release of the 21,000 bags of assorted grains.
He said the State Government, in the last month, distributed 50,000 bags of assorted grains, targeting 120,000 vulnerable households across the 17 local government areas of the State to provide food to those in need.
According to him, the government would deal ruthlessly with anyone or group that engages in the diversion or sale of the materials to sabotage the government’s efforts. Such saboteurs, according to the Governor, would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.
