The people of Sokoto State joyfully received the grains that were sent by the Federal government for distribution to vulnerable residents. Thank God for the vigilance of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC who stopped bandits who had laid in ambush at the federal government silo in Katsina State a few days ahead of the Ramadan celebration. Zubaida Umar, the Director-general of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) flagged-off the distribution of the assorted grains in Sokoto.
According to the Director General, “The distribution of grains is part of a comprehensive intervention programme the Federal Government is implementing to cushion hardship in the land and revamp the Nigerian economy for sustainable development and prosperity for all citizens.”
The exercise is part of the nationwide effort at distributing the 42,000 metric tonnes of grains ordered to be released for distribution to Nigerians to cushion the hardship following the high prices of food items in the country. said President Bola Tinubu “is concerned about rising food prices and is determined to make essential food available and affordable for Nigerians.” The government effort was also supported by rice millers who gave 60,000 metric tonnes of rice to supplement the grains released by the federal government.
Senator Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security, Alhaji Idris Mohammed the minister of information and national orientation, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the minister of state for agriculture and food security, and Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu, governor of Sokoto State attended the flag-off.
Kyari said President Tinubu is desirous of cushioning the effect of the rising cost of food commodities by ensuring a sustained buffer stock, as provided by the Nigeria Food Storage Policy. He, however, asked state governments to activate the buffer stock in their various states so that in cases of emergency and future food interventions like this, they will have stocks that complement the federal government’s efforts.
Alhaji Mohammed, in his case, said the food items were in line with the promise made by Tinubu to improve the lives and welfare of Nigerians.
Though the removal of fuel subsidy and unification of the exchange rate are the policies fingered for the hardship currently being experienced in Nigeria, the minister of information said there are already recorded gains of the policies for the good of Nigeria. He listed the marked reduction of petrol importation to 50 percent monthly, the stabilized foreign exchange with Naira waxing stronger daily, and the recent launch of the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund (RHIDF), which aims to raise about N20 trillion for investment in critical sectors of the economy as early wins.
Governor Aliyu lauded the federal government for the palliative. He confirmed the quantity of the items received from NEMA and assured adherence to the given template for the distribution.
The number of items handed to the Sokoto State government for onward distribution to vulnerable people across the state include 10,120 bags of maize, 11,960 bags of sorghum and 4,324 bags of millets.