The Kwara State Government on Tuesday, launched the distribution of an additional 17,578 50kg bags of maize, sorghum, and millet palliatives, which were provided by the Federal Government.
The food palliatives are being distributed to disadvantaged individuals across all 16 local government areas in the state, as confirmed by Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Development.
According to Olohungbebe, the distribution process is being carried out in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Federal Government.
“The instructions given by the Federal Government is that there has to be a committee in each local government area that will oversee the items.
“The committee comprises the DPMs (Directors of Personal Management) in the absence of the chairmen of local government areas; traditional rulers; representatives of the DSS; ICPC; civil society organisations; National Youth Council of Nigeria; women groups; development officers; among others.
“These are the people that will take care of it in each local government area,” he said, adding that the distribution was directly being handled by the State Emergency Management Agency.
“So, what we are doing is just to ensure that it gets to the local government area. By the time it gets there, they will now identify the vulnerable ones among them,” he added.
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Secretary for SEMA, Mallam Saadu Magaji, confirmed that the office recently took delivery of the items, and had started sharing since Saturday.
“These palliatives are for distribution to vulnerable people across the state. It is a Federal Government intervention in collaboration with NEMA and the Office of the National Security Adviser. It was around two months ago that we received them,” he said.
“We have millet, sorghum, and maize. Millet is 2,216kg, maize is 7,042kg, and sorghum is 8,320kg, which makes a total number of 17,578 50kg of the three items. They are shared across the 16 local government areas,” he said.
Speaking on the distribution exercise which, he said, commenced with six councils on Saturday, he listed Baruten, Kaiama, Asa, Ilorin East, Ifelodun, and Oke-Ero councils as the first beneficiaries. “On the 2nd of June, we gave out to Patigi, Edu, Oyun, Offa, Ilorin South and Moro. While the third part of it includes Irepodun, Ilorin West, Isin and Ekiti local government areas,” he added.
He praised the seamless and peaceful execution of the program, acknowledging the state government’s and other key stakeholders’ invaluable support in successfully identifying and reaching the intended beneficiaries in even the most remote areas of the state.
Ayantola Mukaila, Director of Personnel Management for Ekiti LG, praised the distribution process, stating that representatives from each political ward collected the items on behalf of their constituents, highlighting the transparency and peaceful nature of the exercise.
Similarly, Comrade Saaduku Abdullahi, DPM from Irepodun Local Government, commended the program’s execution.
