The Federal Government says it has begun the distribution of food items to 2,000 displaced persons and vulnerable households in Bauchi State.
Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dusaster Management and Social Development, stated this while inspecting the food distribution exercise, on Friday, at Bakoshi village in Toro Local Government Area of the state.
Umar-Farouq, represented by Malam Yazid Lawal, her Special Assistant on Protocol Matters, said the Federal Government was partnering with a Bauchi based NGO, Mayaka Health Education and Mobilisation Association (MAHEMA), to facilitate smooth conduct of the distribution exercise.
She said the government would continue to extend such gesture to deserving families across the country as part of effort of the ministry to discharge its mandate.
The minister cautioned the beneficiaries against diversion of the food items.
In his remarks, Alhaji Aminu Abubakar, the Executive Director of the organisation, said the programme was initiated by the group in collaboration with the ministry to enhance support to the vulnerable households.
Abubakar said that 2,000 bags of rice and cooking oil would be distributed to each of the deserving households under its humanitarian intervention.
He said the food items would be distributed to the carefully selected vulnerable people in the identified communities across 15 local government areas of the state.
The Director listed the beneficiaries to include Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), widows, persons with disabilities and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
According to him, the beneficiaries are carefully identified in consultation with their respective traditional and community leaders, to avoid misrepresentation of facts or diversion of the items.
Also speaking, Alhaji Adamu Abdullahi, the Ward Head of Bakoshi village, lauded the gesture, saying it would improve the social and economic wellbeing of the beneficiaries.
He said the beneficiaries would ensure effective utilisation of the food items to enable them to fend for their family.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-werk food distribution exercise would be conducted in the selected 15 LGAs of the state.
(NAN)
