Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, on Tuesday provided 214,500 vulnerable persons food items for Ramadan.
Speaking during the symbolic presentation at Pantami Township Stadium Yahaya said his commitment to helping the people during difficult times remains an enduring attribute.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the items distributed include maize, rice and spaghetti.
He said, “With the coming of the holy month of Ramadan, a time of reflection, compassion, and generosity, we stand ready to extend our support once again. Today, we are commencing another round of palliative food distribution, with a renewed focus on reaching 214,500 beneficiaries. This gesture is not merely about providing sustenance; it is about ensuring that our people can observe their fast with dignity and gratitude, in accordance with the teachings of our religions.
“Our administration’s commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of every citizen of Gombe remains steadfast and unwavering. We understand the challenges that our people face, and we will continue to stand by them, providing assistance and support whenever and wherever it is needed.”
While enumerating his administration’s commitment to alleviating the suffering of the people, he recalled the days of Covid-19 pandemic to the recent removal of fuel subsidy, saying “we have taken steps to alleviate the suffering of our people during their period of need.
“The removal of fuel subsidy last year, though a difficult yet necessary decision, brought untold economic hardship on the people. In our efforts to alleviate their suffering, we rolled out a palliative food distribution program in August 2023 targeting 420,000 beneficiaries. In January this year, we continued this noble initiative by launching the second phase of the program, reaching an additional 90,000 beneficiaries.”
“In addition to above efforts, we also implemented various policies and programs to help our people during these difficult times. These include the provision of 10,000 wage grants to civil servants since August 2023, and the payment of billions of naira in backlog of gratuities in order to ease the financial burden on the people.
“I would like to commend the palliative committee for the excellent preparation thus far. I urge them all to approach their duty with fear of God and compassion, and ensure that food items reach those who deserve it the most. On our part, we shall put measures in place to ensure adequate monitoring of the program, in line with our administration’s zero tolerance for corruption and inefficiency.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on our people to give adequate support and cooperation to the distribution and monitoring teams at ward and local government levels. Together, we shall support one another in this noble endeavour,” he added.
