Niger state coordinator, Coalition of Private Sector Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad, has stated that the distribution of palliatives donated to the state were yet to be distributed because some items to complete the package for each vulnerable household were yet to be delivered.
Muhammad stated this Tuesday while inspecting some of the food items already received by the state at the government warehouse, Minna.
Muhammad said out of the 88 trucks expected to be delivered to the state, only 73 had so far been received, while 15 others were being awaited.
He said: “The items which are to be shared as a full package to 47, 611 vulnerable households in the state in accordance to the guidelines given by the CACOVID, can only be distributed when supplies are complete as captured in the distribution guidelines presented by the donors.”
He said until all items are completely supplied, the CACOVID secretariat will not flag off distribution in line with the template which stipulates that all these items be put together to make a package.
He said the contractor handling supply of rice paddy to the state had challenged the availability of the product, resulting in shortage in delivery.
He said, “Only 9,000 bags of rice which is one of the major items have been received as against the 47,611 bags that are expected in the state, hence they cannot be distributed now.”
He stated that the issue is not peculiar to Niger state alone, adding that about six other states including Benue are also yet to distribute due to incomplete supply of items.
Earlier in his remark, the chairman of the state Taskforce on COVID-19 who is also the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane, said government was not in any way hoarding the food items donated by CACOVID but making efforts to ensure that the guidelines given by the donors were adhered to.
He stated that the food items were intact, adding that the process of supply was still ongoing and beneficiaries would be identified and profiled when the items have been completely supplied.
