Zamfara Government suspends distribution of relief materials

The Zamfara Government has suspended the distribution of relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and would rather train the victims in various trades.

The state Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Ms Faika Ahmed, disclosed this on Friday in Gusau during the distribution of relief materials by the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The relief materials were donated by King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia through his humanitarian agency, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.

“My ministry decided to come up with this new approach because we observed that many beneficiaries of various relief materials do not use the assistance for the purpose meant, which is to alleviate their sufferings.

“It is sad to note that bags and cartons of the relief materials which are usually customised with the inscription, ‘not for sale,’ are seen in the markets, sometimes even before the end of the distribution exercise.

“We have tried to ensure that all our staff are not involved in any form of diversion of these materials, so that the support gets to the target beneficiaries.

“So please, you should use these in your homes for the benefit of your wives and children,” Ahmed uregd.

She said the ministry had secured approval from Gov. Bello Matawalle to train the IDPs in various trades such as tailoring, knitting, soap and oil making, among others.

According to her, this will make them self reliant when they return home.
The commissioner thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for donating the relief materials to victims of armed banditry and other natural disasters in the state.

Earlier, while presenting the items to the commissioner, the representative of King Salman Humanitarian and Relief Center, Hajiya Fatima Kasim, said 8,725 households would benefit from the assistance in Zamfara.

Kasim, who is also a Deputy Director of Planning with NEMA, said each package given to the IDPs included rice, beans, cooking oil, salt, tomato paste and masa flour.

She also called on the beneficiaries from the 14 local government areas of the state to make judicious use of the assistance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the beneficiaries expressed gratitude over the gesture and pledged to utilise the items.