The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Tuesday, commenced distribution of food items donated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) to 2,056 vulnerable households in Kano State.
The NEMA Director-General, Mrs Zubaida Umar, while launching the distribution in Kano, said it was to support vulnerable citizens, and to cushion the
economic downturn.
The leadership of the Saudi Arabia-established KSrelief had been providing humanitarian aid and relief to those in need outside the kingdom’s borders.
The NEMA boss, represented by the Director, Special Duties, Hajiya Fatima Kassim, said that the donation of food was timely, as it coincided with the Holy month of Ramadan.
She said “each household will get a total of 59.8kg of food items, including rice (25kg), beans (25kg), masa vita flour (4kg), tomato paste (2kg), vegetable oil (2 litres),
seasoning cube (0.8kg) and salt 1kg.”
She urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the items to give succor to their families.
She added that “the humanitarian foot prints of KSRelief impacted several disaster hotspots in Nigeria, including the North East, and North Central states affected by landuse conflicts, communal crisis and banditry.
She commended Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince, and the Prime Minister, Mohammad Bin Salman for the support, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.
” Umar said
On his part, Gov. Abba Kabir-Yusuf, said the gesture came at the right time due to economic hardship experienced recently.
Kabir-Yusuf, represented by the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Abdulsalam, commended King Salman, and KSrelief for the gesture.
He said “this show of compassion has confirmed long historical and brotherhood relationship that exist between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.”
He called on philanthropists to come to the aid of their brothers and sisters who are in desperate need of help.
He also commended NEMA for the collaborative effort with State Emergency Management Agency(SEMA), and urged the beneficiaries to use the items judiciously.
Earlier, an official from KSrelief Centre, Abdulrahman Abdulaziz, said the distribution is an extension of relief and humanitarian efforts provided by the government of Saudia Arabia.
He said “under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and custodian of the two Holy Mosques in Medina and Mecca, as well as the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammad Bin Salmann, the food donation is to support Nigeria.”
Malam Bashir Ubale, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, commended KSrelief and the agency for the gesture.(NAN)