The government of Zamfara State under the leadership of Governor Bello Matawalle has expended the sum of ₦2.9 billion on the purchase of essential commodities for distribution to residents as Ramadan welfare packages.
The development was confirmed in a statement on Sunday in Gusau, the state capital by the Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara.
Explaining the idea behind the huge spending, Dosara noted that the government is out to reduce the hardship faced by the people during the conduct of the Ramadan fast.
understands that the purchase includes 450 truckloads of food items such as rice, millet, maize, beans, sugar and milk.
They are expected to be distributed to members of the public including the less privileged, internally displaced persons, civil servants and others.
The statement added that to ensure the commodities get to everyone, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Nasiru Magarya, has been appointed as the Chairman of the main committee for distribution of the Ramadan welfare package.
“The aim is to help in reducing the hardship being faced by people and to enable them to conduct the Ramadan fast with relative ease and happiness,” the statement partly read.
“In order to ensure equity, fairness and justice in the distribution exercise, the governor has ordered for the formation and or constitution of committees at state, local government, ward and polling unit levels with members drawn from the political class, labour, traditional and religious leaders,” the statement reads in part.
Below is the full statement which contains the breakdown of the items purchased, full members of the distribution committee and what each local government is expected to get.
“The Chairman, Committee for the distribution of this year’s Ramadan welfare packages and the Speaker Zamfara state House of Assembly Rt Hon Nasiru Muazu Magarya wishes to inform the general public that, Zamfara state government under the leadership of His Excellency Hon (Dr) Bello Matawalle, has purchased 450 trucks of foodstuffs and essential commodities worth 2.9 billion naira for distribution to the public as Ramadan welfare packages for the vulnerable, less privileged, internally displaced persons, civil servants and other categories of members of the public, to help in reducing the hardships being faced by people and to enable them conduct the Ramadan fast with relative ease and happiness.
The foodstuffs and the essential communities are as follows:
Rice………… 60, 000 bags
Millet………50,000 bags
Maize…………50, 000 bags
Beans………..30,000 bags
Sugar………….10,000 bags
Shadda/Attamfa….40,000 pieces
To ensure equity, fareness and justice in the distribution exercise, His Excellency the Executive Governor has ordered for the formation and or constitution of committees at both state, local government, ward and polling unit levels as follows:
State Committee.
Speaker, state assembly…….as Chairman
Members include:
State Party chairman
State House leader
House Committee Chairman on Religious affairs
Commissioner for Rural Development
Commissioner for Religious Affairs
Chairman state ALGON
Perm Sec ministry for local government
Sole Administrator, Maru local government council
Sole Administrator, Anka local government
9.Chairman, Zakkat and Endowment Fund
State Party Secretary
Hon Special Adviser ( Political) as the Secretary of the committee.
Local Government Committee
Local Government Sole Administrator as the committee chairman
Local Government party chairman
All members of the National and State Assemblies in the local government
All commissioners and Special Advisers in the local government
Permanent Secretaries and Directors General in the local government
Local Government Secretary
Representatives of the Emirs in the local government
Representatives of all security agencies in the local government.
Local Government party Secretary to serve as Secretary of the committee.
Ward Committee
Ward councillor as chairman.
Ward party chairman
Polling unit Party chairmen
Youth leader
Woman leader
Ward Party Secretary to serve as the committee’s secretary.
Polling Unit Committee
Polling unit party chairman as the chairman.
All members of his EXCO.
Polling Unit Secretary to serve as the committee Secretary.
All the appointed committee members are hereby warned to desist from any wrong doing in the distribution of these items as supervising committees have also been appointed to watch the distribution exercise and report how the exercise was conducted by both the 4 committees.
Members should ensure that the foodstuffs reach the targetted beneficiaries directly and without delay.
The pattern of the distribution is as follows:
Gusau local government
Rice……..2124 bags
Millet…..708 bags
c Maize……1416
Sugar. ….354
Beans……354
Kaura Namoda Local Government
Rice……….1050
Millet………350
Maize……..700
Sugar……..175
Beans……..175
Talata Mafara local government
Rice………. 1110
Millet……… 370
Maize…….. 740
Sugar…….. 185
Beans……..185
Gummi local government
Rice……….1116
Millet………372
Maize……..744
Sugar……..186
Beans……..186
Tsafe local government
Rice……….1200
Millet………400
Maize……..800
Sugar……..200
Beans……..200
Bungudu local government
Rice……….1326
Millet………442
Maize……..884
Sugar……..221
Beans……..221
Zurmi local government
Rice……….1140
Millet………380
Maize……..760
Sugar……..190
Beans……..190
8.Shinkafi local government a. Rice……….738
Millet………246
Maize……..492
Sugar……..123
Beans……..123
Maradun local government
Rice……….876
Millet………292
Maize……..584
Sugar……..146
Beans……..146
Anka local government
Rice……….762
Millet………254
Maize……..508
Sugar……..127
Beans……..127
Birnin Magaji local government
Rice……….738
Millet………246
Maize……..492
Sugar……..123
Beans……..123
Maru local government
Rice……….1284
Millet………428
Maize……..856
Sugar……..214
Beans……214
Bakura local government
Rice……….684
Millet………228
Maize……..456
Sugar……..114
Beans……..114
Bukuyum
Rice……….948
Millet………316
Maize……..632
Sugar……..158
Beans……158
Each polling unit is to receive a total of 14 bags of assorted foodstuffs and commodities.
This is in addition to the welfare packages to other cateries of people including orphans, people with special needs, internally displaced persons, imams, civil servants, Quranic schools and other relevant organisations.
Following mobile telephone numbers are dedicated for any complaints regarding the distribution exercise.
08089036555
08037754225
08067234742
08062703232
The Speaker, Rt Hon Nasiru Muazu Magarya also wishes the general public a happy Ramadan.
