Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Kano State governor, on Monday, flagged off the distribution of 52,000 bags of rice and 52,000 bags of maize palliative to the most vulnerable persons across the 44 local government areas in the State.
The governor, while speaking during the flagoff, warned the committee members against benefiting from the food items, adding that the items are specifically for some identified persons; as such, committee members, journalists, security agents and civil servants are not eligible to benefit from the palliatives.
He also said that the palliatives would only help to cushion the effect of subsidy removal, adding that it would go a long way in alleviating the sufferings of the masses occasioned by subsidy removal.
He explained that this is the second time the items are distributed to selected vulnerable groups for 484 wards across the 44 LGAs in the State, adding that the committee, comprising community and religious leaders amongst others, was set up not only to oversee the distribution but also to ensure that the items reached the targeted groups.
“Each ward will receive 400 bags of 10 kg of rice free with 991,000 bags of maise, Tsangaya and Islamiyya schools and Tory homes, persons with special needs, junior Civil Servants, widows and orphans will benefit,” he said.
He said his government will soon commence the empowerment programs of 5,000 women, youth, and persons with special needs to be done every month, saying they would now float Kano with Amana Buses and Taxis, which will be given to youths.
In his remarks, Dr Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, the Chairman of the Palliative Compliance Committee and the Secretary to the State Government, said because of the passion and goodwill of the Governor, he added 99 Truck of Rice against the 50 sent by the Federal Government in addition to procuring 72 additional trucks of maize against the 11 dispatched by the Federal Government for the distribution to the poorest of the poor.