North East Development Commission (NEDC) has commenced the distribution of palliatives to 2,556 vulnerable people and 106 clubs and associations in Borno State.
At the inauguration of the exercise at the Central Stores in Maiduguri, the state capital yesterday, the state coordinator of the commission, Malam Mohammed Watsada, said the food and non- food items distributed would assist the needy in this period of Ramadan fast.
He said this year’s Ramadan came at a very challenging period, noting that the palliatives would cushion the hardship faced by people of the state occasioned by rising costs of essential items.
“The North East Development Commission has the mandate of assisting victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the region, and there is no better time to assist this people than now that the country is facing serious economic hardship and considering the Ramadan period.
“NEDC has over the years been rendering similar support and we will continue to provide the needed support until the region fully recover,” Watsada said.
According to the state coordinator, over 24,000 bags of rice and other assorted items will be distributed across the 27 local government areas of the state.
The chairman of the Association of Persons with Disability, Mohammed Abubakar and the president of the National Association of Borno State Students (NUBOSS), Ahmed Ahmed, thanked NEDC for the gesture.
They called on other philanthropic individuals and organisations to complement the efforts of federal and state governments by extending similar assistance to the less privileged in the society.
Other items distributed included 5,323 bags of rice, 15,169 cartons of spaghetti and 7,687 gallons of vegetable oil.
