By Sarah NEGEDU
Inspite the initial set back caused by looting of the Federal Capital Territory Administration owned warehouse in Gwagwa-Tasha on Sunday, the FCTA has said that palliative distributions will commence in the next one week.
This follows a directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, directing the FCT Minister to set machinery in motion towards ensuring emergency distribution of grains to residents to ameliorate their living condition.
The president had in a memo addressed to the FCT Minister on Tuesday, instructed that a strategic Committee be constituted to ensure a transparent and equitable distribution of the the grains to vulnerable Nigerians through the National Emergency Management Agency.
FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, at a meeting with stakeholders, including the six Area Council chairmen, said the the FCT Administration has less than two weeks to carry out the presidential directive.
The minister, while warning against any act that will sabotage the distribution process, called on all stakeholders, especially chairmen of area councils, to ensure that the palliatives are distributed seamlessly in line with presidential directives.
She also directed the Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat to get a befitting warehouse, within 72 hours, for the safe keep of the grains.
According to her; “Yesterday we received this letter from the Presidency through the National Emergency Management Agency and we all know that a few days back we were at Gwagwa where our warehouse was attacked by some youths in that area and all we have there have been carted away.
“However, God almighty has given us a solution through Mr. President. Everybody knows how His Excellency President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been going up and down to see how we can cushion the impact of the hardship in the country.
“They have been having meetings through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and finally we were able to get palliative items we can distribute for our people to tell them how Mr. President have his people at heart.
“So it was along this week that the Honorable Minister FCT, His Excellency Barr. Nyesom Wike, was directed to hold an important meeting with stakeholders to constitute a committee that will handle the distribution in a transparent manner”.
“That is why I personally called people so that they would be at this meeting because of its importance”.
Speaking on the seamless distribution of the palliatives, the minister stated that the presidency has directed the constitution of a committee that comprises chairmen of area councils, FCT Emergency Management Agency, traditional rulers, Department of State Services, Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Faith based organisations and the National Union of Local Government Employees.
Others include Nigeria Red Cross Society, women associations, persons with disability, youth associations, principals of boarding schools, civil society organisations and the media.
A breakdown of the items to be distributed include 4,680 bags of 50 kg of maize, 1,100 bags of 50 kg of millets, 13,920 bags of 50 kg sorghum and 960 bags of 25 kg of garri to be distributed to the six area councils.
The Minister, however stated that 20percent of the grains allocated to be given to faith-based organizations, while 3% to all boarding schools in area council as directed by the presidency, warning that the items must be given to the vulnerables in the society.
