Damaturu, Sept. 22 – Yobe State Governor, His Excellency, Hon. (Dr.) Mai Mala Buni CON, COMN, has launched the distribution of 50,000 bags of assorted grains to vulnerable persons across the 17 local government areas of the state.
Governor Buni said the exercise was part of his administration’s commitment to food security and resilience building for recovery from natural disasters such as floods. He expressed sympathy to those affected by this year’s flood disaster, noting the government was aware of the challenges faced by farmers and rural communities.
“Government is conscious of the challenges posed by such calamities, and the difficulties that usually accompany the farming circle between planting and harvesting seasons when farmers have invested and exhausted their food stock, while the new crops are not ready for harvest,” the Governor said.
He added that the administration was committed to supporting citizens during hard times. “Our administration is committed to providing succour at such challenging moments to support our people, mitigate the impact of the floods, restore hope and overcome these challenges with dignity,” he stated.
The distribution covered 5,580 primary school teachers, 1,780 primary healthcare workers, 2,400 persons with special needs, 1,200 Tsangaya Mallams and vulnerable persons from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Others who benefited include 2,000 junior cadre civil servants, 2,000 staff of tertiary institutions, 600 staff of Teaching and Specialist hospitals, and 25,500 vulnerable persons across the state’s 17 LGAs.
Governor Buni reaffirmed that the Yobe State Government remains committed to agricultural development, irrigation farming, and economic growth. “These interventions would continue to receive government attention with much emphasis on irrigation farming to boost agricultural productivity for food sufficiency, food security and economic prosperity of our citizenry,” he added.
He praised the Federal Government for aligning national priorities with state efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda. “We will continue to scale up our investments in agriculture to ensure that Yobe State does not only become food sufficient but contribute meaningfully to national food security,” Buni said.
He commended the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and humanitarian partners for their timely interventions in protecting lives and livelihoods.
Earlier, Dr. Muhammad Goje, Executive Secretary of SEMA, praised Governor Buni for his support to vulnerable citizens. Similarly, the World Food Programme and other development agencies commended the governor for providing relief to affected communities.