The Federal Government has donated 6,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains to Borno State to alleviate the suffering of flood disaster victims. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, presented the items to Governor Babagana Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri.
The donation was directed by President Bola Tinubu and includes 2,330 metric tonnes of food items such as rice, maize, sorghum, and millet, transported to Maiduguri in various trucks
The Minister ensured that the delivery will be completed within a week, with efforts made to ensure quick and direct delivery from Government silos to cushion the hardships of the people, especially those affected by the flood incident.
“The President has approved and gave me a matching order to deliver 100 trailers of rice, 50 trailers of maize, 30 trailers of sorghum and 20 trailers of millet, totalling six thousand metric tonnes. In addition the ministry made available 2,000 water pumps to aid in relieving communities still inundated with water” Kyari said.
The Minister added that 2,000 water pumps have been provided to assist in draining flooded areas within the Maiduguri Metropolitan and Jere.
Kyari also further explained that a committee has been established through the Nigerian Agricultural Development Fund to assess the damage to farmlands affected by the disaster.
Responding, Governor Zulum commended President Tinubu for the federal government’s intervention, saying,” such gesture will will significantly alleviate the suffering of flood victims.”
He assured the food items will be definitely be distributed accordingly and judiciously to those affected by the flood disaster who are the target group
“I want to assure you that there will be no diversion of this items. We shall ensure that only the affected victims will be given this food items “while emphasizing that the support represents the largest food intervention to the state government so far received since the flood disaster occured.