COVID-19: FG releases 70,000 tonnes of garri, others to Nigerians

The Federal Government has released 70,000 metric tonnes of assorted food items to vulnerable Nigerians as part of efforts to cushion the effect of the lockdown in some states.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, made this known on Monday at the official hand over of 12,500 metric tonnes of assorted food at the Minna Silo Complex in Niger State.

He said the 12,500 metric tonnes of items released from the 25,000 metric tonnes capacity silo complex in Minna comprised 10,000 metric tonnes of maize and 2,500 metric tonnes of garri.

This, according to him, is to officially launch release of the 70,000 metric tonnes of garri, maize, millet and sorghum from six silo complexes across the country.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the release of 70,000 metric tonnes of assorted food items to vulnerable Nigerians.

This is part of efforts to cushion the effect of the lockdown in some states of the federation as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nanono, who handed the food items over to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, said it was in compliance with President Buhari’s approval.

He said, “Our mission here is to hand over about 12,500 metric tonnes of garri and maize. Maize 10,000 tonnes, garri 2500 tonnes.

“The logistics is purely NEMA affairs. Ours is to hand over to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. I assure you that by tomorrow NEMA would have to be here.

“Anybody that knows of garri knows that what we have here is high quality garri.”

The minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, Farouq, who received the items on behalf of the ministry, assured that the items would get to the beneficiaries in affected states based on an already well planned modality for distribution.