From Maiharaji Altine, Gusau
Zamfara state Government has distributed 180,000 thousands bags of assorted grains to orphans and the less privileged persons in the state to enable them perform the Ramadan fast with ease.
Speaking during the distribution exercise o the commodities, Governor Bello Matawalle said, the items distributed included, 60,000 bags of rice, 30,000 bags of sugar;50,000 bags of millet; 30,000 bags of maize, 10,000 bags of beans; and 2000 cartoons of milk.
Matawalle maintained that the gesture was made in order to ensure that the people have enough food for the month of Ramadan and beyond.
“Similarly, 40,000 pieces of shadda and atamfa clothing materials have been purchased for distribution to the less privileged for them to easily celebrate Idil-Fitri.
The Governor added that the Ramadan feeding would be conducted across all the 2,516 polling units of the State.
As was done last year, the Ministry for Local Government and Community Development would be collaborating with the 14 Local Government Councils to establish additional feeding centres in each of the Councils”. Said Matawalle.
The Governor stressed that similar gesture would be extended to civil servants, adding that “I have already directed the Head of Service’s office to implement the procedures for distributing the packages to our civil servants in an efficient and equitable manner”.
He said that “For ease of distribution, the state government agencies that typically handle the process of targeting relevant beneficiaries have been delegated”.
The agencies according to the Governor are the Ministry for Religious Affairs; Zakat Distribution and Endowment Board; andThe Directorate of Protocol Matters.
Matawalle called on the well to do individuals in the state to come out and assist the less privileged in order to supplement the efforts of the state government.
“As we are implementing these welfare packages, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage well-to-do citizens in our midst to supplement our efforts by extending hands of assistance to the needy, orphans, widows, and other categories of the less fortunate in their communities”.