Zulum distributes  N30m cash, food items, textiles to 6,000 vulnerable persons  in Gwange

AHMED MARI, Maiduguri

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has personally supervised the  distribution of N30million  cash, textile materials and food items to 6,000 persons in the Gwange wards of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.

The exercise which took place about 7:30am Wednesday at a primary school in Gwange was part of the fifth in the series of ongoing distribution of palliatives, to vulnerable men and women of Gwange I, II, and III wards.

Zulum, who personally supervised the sharing of N30m to 3,000 women who received the sum of N10,000 each in addition to a wrapper and a carton of food items containing packets of spaghetti, macaroni, semolina, salt, sugar, and seasoning, also witnessed the sharing of 3,000 bags of rice to 3,000 men with each of them going home with (50kg).

A total of 6,000 men and women were drawn from the three wards in Gwange (made up of Gwange I, II, and III) with 2,000 beneficiaries identified from each of the wards.

Governor Zulum explained that the Borno State Government provided the N30m cash and wrappers distributed to women while  the Federal Government through the Nigerian Customs Service and Dangote Foundation provided the bags of rice and cartons of food packs distributed.

Zulum while thanking the Customs and Dangote Foundation for their contributions  urged citizens to sustain prayers for the full return of peace across Borno State and all parts of Nigeria.

With Wednesday’s distribution, a total of 18,000 persons have so far benefited in five distributions that covered nine wards from which 2,000 persons were identified from each of the wards.

It would be recalled that during the Ramadan fast, a committee constituted by the governor had distributed items to 4,000 residents of Bolori I & II wards;  to 4,000 residents of Shehuri North and South wards; 4,000 residents of Hausari and Fezzan ward, and in Jere to 4,000 residents of Mairi and Maimusari wards.

About 100,000 vulnerable residents of all 15 wards in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and six urban wards in Jere Local Government Area are expected to benefit from the palliatives at the end of the exercise.

After the ongoing round of distribution, the palliatives will get to more vulnerable persons from other wards.

Prof. Zulum flagged-off the distribution of the items to vulnerable residents in urban areas. Before now, the Governor has accorded top priority to undertaking humanitarian activities in towns and villages across Local Government Areas, outside Maiduguri and Jere.

The Gwange distribution was attended by the member representing MMC at the Borno State House of Assembly, Hon. Ali Kotoko and coordinated by members of the palliatives committee which included former Commissioners of Agriculture, Engr. Bukar Talba; Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Babagana Mustapha; Youths and Sports, Sa’ina Buba, and Chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, among others.