By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
The second phase of Food Palliative Distribution Committee has distributed various food items to 90,000 beneficiaries across Gombe State, saying the gesture was meant to cushion the global economic hardship coupled with the recent petroleum subsidy removal by the federal government.
The food distribution and other palliative measures were aimed at cushioning the side effects of the economic hardships caused by the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu, while a total of 90,000 people would benefit from the palliative drawn from the 2,998 polling units across the state.
Speaking at the commencement in Gombe on Tuesday, the Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, said that his administration has introduced policies like wage grants to civil servants, food and agricultural support and other measures meant to reduce poverty while in the first phase of food palliative intervention which was rolled out in August, 2023 targeted 420,000 poor and vulnerable people in the state were distributed.
He said that the food items will be distributed to 2,998 polling units while 25 people from each of the polling units will receive the palliative.
The Deputy Governor, Dr. Manasseh Daniel Jatau who is also the Chairman of Palliative Distribution Committee said
that the palliative include bags of rice, cartons of spaghetti among others, saying that this palliative is meant to support the poorest of the poor regardless of party or religious affiliation.
Also, Secretary to Government of the State, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, explained that the government since its inception has been formulating policies and programmes that have direct impact in the lives of the people.
The District Head Nasarawo, Alhaji Usman Shettima, said the gesture clearly demonstrated the governor’s empathy and good leadership style in the state.
The traditional leader thanked the governor for the gesture, maintaining that the palliative is timely and will go a long way in alleviating the suffering of the people.
