Gombe State governor, Inuwa Yahaya has rounded off the first phase of distribution of food items as palliatives to about 420,000 vulnerable citizens in the state.
The governor who launched the distribution at the palace of the emir of Gombe explained that the food items were purchased with the palliative grant given to the state by the federal government.
According to him, the state received a sum of N2bn out of the N5bn relief funds allocated to states by the federal government for the purchase of food items for distribution to vulnerable members of the public to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
He however stated that the government awaits the receipt of the balance as well as the N1bn worth of maize which the Central Bank of Nigeria is selling to each state from the national strategic reserve.
He applauded the federal government for providing the relief funds to each state of the federation out of which 48% is a loan that will be paid back over a period of 20 months at N120m monthly starting from November this year.
He decried the lingering food crisis in the country, describing the ugly trend as a complex problem that calls for comprehensive solutions from all stakeholders, pointing out that distribution of palliatives from the government would only provide a temporary relief.
“Despite series of palliatives distribution from the government, the problem of rising cost of food commodities persists, because that is not the way to go. Palliatives will not provide permanent solution to the problem. It is therefore pertinent on all stakeholders to find a permanent solution to the problem”, he stated.
