Emergency Rule: FG to distribute grains in affected states

Federal Government has approved the distribution of 25,000 metric tons (about 500, 000 bags) of assorted grains from the strategic grains silos to people in the affected states where there is emergency rule.

Speaking yesterday in Damaturu on the effects of emergency rule on business, farming activities and living conditions of people, the Minister of state for Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama has disclosed that the President has directed him

and the Minister of state for Agriculture, Alhaji Tijani Bukar, tor elease grains from the Federal Government's Strategic Grains Silos

for distribution to people in the three emergency states.

This directive by Mr. President follows the 'cries and hues' that I and the Minister of state for Agriculture took to him over the prolonged sufferings and inconveniences of people of the three states caused by Boko Haram insurgency and the subsequent Emergency Rule declared last May by the President.'

Dr. Ngama noted that the insecurity has caused untold hardship on the people as the restriction of movement has greatly reduced farming activities in the affected states; hence the intervention by government as Ramadan approaches.

He said that the 25,000 metric tons of food items would translate into 930 truckload of maize, millet and guinea corn.

The minister further explained that because of the large quantity of food required, it will however be released for distribution in

batches.
'In the first batch, a total of 399 bags of 665 truckloads will be released to the three states under emergency rule.

'Borno state, which is the largest and worse hit by the insurgency, will take the lion's share of 324 trucks, Yobe will get 195 trucks while Adamawa will be left with 170 trucks load,' said

the minister, while giving a breakdown of grains distribution.

Ngama also announced that the President had given another approval of the sum of N250 million for the purchase of rice, cooking

oil and other accessories to be distributed in the three states.

He said in Yobe, all the 178 wards will be given a truckload of food items, while the remaining will be shared to civil servants, police, army and other organizations in the state.

He therefore advised the people not to politicize the gesture of the president but purely see it as an act of God.

'We are giving this food not because we are PDP, but because of God. I am calling on all the people of my state to come and collect the food.

It does not matter whether you are PDP or any other political party. Nobody will discriminate in the sharing of the food items,' assured

the minister.
He said that all security agencies with Aid groups would be involved to ensure a hitch-free distribution of the food items.

While thanking the President, Ngama said: 'This is an unprecedented initiative by President Goodluck Jonathan. I have not heard

in history where this amount of food was released to any part of Nigeria. The people of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa will remain

grateful to Mr. President for his kindness and gesture to ameliorate their sufferings.'