The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday, presented food items to 30 vulnerable households in Zamfara State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each of the beneficiaries received a package of food items comprising rice, spaghetti and cooking oil.
Presenting the items to the beneficiaries in Gusau, the IOM representative, Dr Adebanke Ogun said that the items were provided to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable households in the state.
“We are providing these items through the Swiss government’s funded projects entitled.
“Providing Socioeconomic relief to vulnerable migrants impacted by COVID-19 in Nigeria” being implemented by the IOM.
“We believe that Zamfara is one of the most affected states in Nigeria by COVID-19 pandemic.
“Other states to benefit from the project include, Yobe, Kano and Jigawa”, She explained.
In his remark, the representative of the Federal Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mr Tochukwu Ezenekwi said the gesture was also part of the ministry’s intervention to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on Nigerians.
“The Minister, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouk directed us to inform this gathering that the federal government will not relent until the vulnerable groups in Nigeria are well taken care off”, he said.
He called on the beneficiaries to make sure that all the items touched the lives of their household members.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs, Alhaji Shehu Tukur, commended the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and the IOM team for the gesture.
Tukur said a total of 600 households were targeted to benefit from the gesture, “but we are starting with 30 selected households as pilot”.
He called on the beneficiaries to make sure that they used the items judiciously and refrain from selling the items in the market. (NAN)
