Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has flagged-off the phase two of the State-wide distribution of palliatives to poor and vulnerable households in the state.
Speaking during the flag off in Dukku, Dukku Local Government Area of the State, Governor Yahaya said the distribution of the relief materials was a tradition of his administration, aimed at addressing the hardships faced by the people during the current covid-19 Pandemic.
He also said the palliatives were equally meat for individuals affected by flood disaster and the over 2000 victims of the recent Billiri crisis, saying his administration will continue to champion policies that would give citizens the opportunity to have access to good governance through interventions in times of need.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya said the state government had before the State-wide distribution of the palliatives expended 775 million naira on the procurement and distribution of palliatives to the people of the State.
Governor Yahaya reiterated his administration’s commitment to the welfare and well-being of the people, saying his government will continue to work within available resources to address the needs and concerns of the people to which he swore to serve irrespective of social, religious or political affiliations.
He said his administration had put a mechanism in place for just and fair distribution of the materials to the intended beneficiaries at the local, ward and polling unit levels.
The Governor said that last year, his administration reach out to over 65 thousand poor and vulnerable households across the State, hence the phase II of the distribution would target the same number of households.
“My administration is for the masses and we are here to work and better their lives. We shall also come up with realistic plans that can boost their economic status so that they can, in turn, help the government and those still struggling at the rungs of the ladder,” Governor Yahaya said.
Responding to some of the requests made by the Chairman of Dukku Local Government Area, Alhaji Jamilu Ahmed Shabewa the Governor said his administration was collaborating with the Federal Government’s PWASH programme and resuscitating the RUWASSA to address the challenges of water in worst-hit areas of Dukku, Kwami, Furnakaye and Balanga Local Government areas of the State.
Governor Yahaya expressed the hope that the interventions would address the challenges of water scarcity in the worst-hit local government areas of the state.
“Let me assure the people of Gombe that the State Government under my leadership will ensure that every locality gets road network, schools, water and health care facilities. All we seek is the cooperation and understanding of the people”.
The Chairman of the Gombe State Palliative Distribution Committee, the Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, said the State Government had constituted the committee, which subsequently gave birth to the local, ward and polling unit committees, to ensure equity, justice and fairness in the exercise.
Dr. Jatau said the committees were constituted to ensure that the relief materials get to the intended beneficiaries without any form of diversion, saying each beneficiary across the state will get 10kg of rice, 2kg of sugar and 1 carton of either noodles or pasta.
The Chairman, Dukku Local Government Council appreciated Governor Yahaya for choosing Dukku for the symbolic distribution and his compassion for the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Similarly, the Emir of Dukku, Alhaji Haruna Abdulkadir Rashid II, said the flag-off of the phase II of the State-wide distribution of palliatives to the poor and vulnerable households in the State was timely ad also an indication that Governor Yahaya was a leader who had the people’s interest at heart.
He called on the people not to relent in supporting the policies and programmes of the Inuwa Yahaya-led administration for the good of the Dukku Local Government Area and the entire state.
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