Niger State Coordinator for the Coalition of Private Sector Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad has said donation of food items to the State to cushion the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic on the vulnerable people in the state still ongoing, hence the items can not be distributed for now.
Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad announced that out of the 88 trucks of the items expected to be delivered to the State, only 73 trucks have so far been received while 15 of such trucks are being awaited.
The State Coordinator said the items which are to be shared as a full package to 47, 611 vulnerable households in the State in accordance to the guidelines given by the CACOVID, can only be distributed when supplies are complete as captured in the distribution guidelines presented by the donors.
“We have received items fine, but it is a continuous process and until these items are complete, no distribution will be made because in the template of CA COVID all these items will have to be put together to make a package”. The State Coordinator explained.
He said only 9,000 bags of rice which is one of the major items have been received as against the 47,611 bags that are expected, hence they can not be distributed for now.
While noting that the issue was not peculiar to Niger State alone, the coordinator maintained that he was in constant communication with the National Secretariat of CACOVID for update.
He added that about six States including Benue were also yet to distribute due to incomplete supply of items.
Earlier, the Chairman of the State Taskforce on COVID-19 who is also the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane reiterated that Government was not in anyway hoarding the food items donated by CACOVID but making efforts to ensure that the guidelines given by the donors are adhered to.
Alhaji Ahmed Matane explained that the food items which started coming in about 2months ago, are intact, added that the process of supply was still ongoing and beneficiaries will be identified and profiled when the items have been completely supplied.
He assured the people that in line with the zero tolerance to corruption policy of the Governor Abubakar Sani Bello-led administration, the process will be transparently carried out in due course.
The palliative items supplied include cartons of noodles, spaghetti, Macaroni bags of rice and Semovita as well as sugar among others.
The items are currently stored at three different locations of Government stores in Minna, Niger state.
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