Gombe yet to receive FG’s rice, says gov
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, on Tuesday, disclosed that the state is yet to receive its allocated share of the Federal Government’s rice intended for free distribution to citizens to alleviate the current hardship.
He announced this while addressing members of Civil Society Organisations, Organised Labour and the Amalgamated Unions of Traders in the state, as part of his ongoing engagements with key stakeholders in the face of the impending nationwide hunger protest.
Yahaya commended the FG’s initiative which allocated 20 trucks of rice to each of the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory to cushion the effects of the economic challenges faced by the populace.
He, however, expressed concern over the delay in receiving these essential supplies in Gombe.
“We are yet to receive the Federal Government’s 20 trucks of rice in Gombe State,” he lamented.
Despite this, the governor emphasised the state’s commitment to providing relief to its citizens, citing previous palliative distributions and ongoing investments in human capital development, education, health and agriculture, among others.
Speaking on the protest, Yahaya reiterated the importance of peaceful and orderly conduct, acknowledging the role of the CSOs, among others, in maintaining social stability and economic resilience.
He called for continued cooperation and dialogue to collectively navigate these challenging times.
Presenting the list of demands on behalf of Non-Governmental Organisations, the Chairman, Gombe Network of Civil Society Organisations, Yusuf Ibrahim, urged the governor to release the list of stocked palliatives.
The demands read, “Urgent distribution of stocked palliative/food and non-food items to the citizens who are more vulnerable and dying of hunger while in collaboration with all stakeholders and the civil society leadership for transparency and accountability during the distributing process.
“Immediate implementation of the new minimum wage of N70,000 and improved welfare packages of workers,” among others.
