A former ministerial nominee and member of the Presidential Committee on Palliative Distribution, Dr Maryam Shettima has expressed satisfaction with the composition and distribution mechanism adopted by the government to address the immediate needs of flood victims in North East and vulnerable communities across the North West as well as in other parts of the country.
This is even as she reaffirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was intensifying efforts to mitigate food shortage in impacted regions across the nation through new initiatives in the agricultural sector. The committee, she noted, encompasses representatives from various political affiliations, ensuring a broad-based approach to addressing the crisis.
Shettima stated this in an interview on Arise Television Morning Show, where she discussed the Tinubu administration’s palliatives regime, specifically how effectively the initiatives are reaching the most vulnerable populations, the mechanisms in place to ensure transparency, accountability, and probity in the distribution of the palliatives and other related issues.
While addressing question on the quantity of rice being sent to Kano State, Dr Shettima confirmed that “19 trucks of 25kg bags of rice” have been sent to the state, but noted that “this is just the beginning of the palliative distribution across the nation”. She further expressed confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to the welfare of the vulnerable and national economic growth.
She said: “Being one of the committee members of the palliative distribution in Kano State, under the chairmanship of His Excellency, the Deputy Senate president, Senator Burau Jibrin, it has been quite an eventful and interesting one.
“Like it was clearly seen, how a very heavy delegation from the federal government was sent to Kano to launch this initiative to kickstart the rice distribution palliative in the entire North West. This is not just happening in the North West it is actually going to cut across the entire six zones of the nation. And the most fascinating thing about this is that it is totally inclusive.
“Look at the way the government approach ensures that it cuts across party affiliations. It has nothing to do with parties. It is purely for the vulnerable, and it goes on to show the commitment of Mr. President in taking care of the vulnerable and being concerned about their welfare thoroughly.
“I must commend the Deputy Senate president who also doubles as the chairman of the committee in Kano. I think what really appeals to me in the whole of this, is the composition. When you look at the composition of of the members of this committee, you would realize that the government is really serious about the poor. It cares. It means business that these palliatives need to reach the targeted people,” noted Shettima who disclosed that both Senators and House of Representatives members of the NNPP made up the full committee to ensure transparency and inclusiveness.
