Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state has inaugurated the distribution of palliatives to vulnerable persons to cushion the effect of Coronavirus pandemic in the state.
Speaking at the occasion which which took place in Boh community of Shongom Local Government Area, Yahaya, represented by his deputy, Manasseh Jatau the welfare package was aimed at meeting the needs of the vulnerable.
He said the exercise would take place in the 2,218 polling units across the 11 Local Government Areas of the state.
“Sequel to the suffering created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government, through the North East Development Commission,and the Gombe State Government brought these items to the people who are worst hit,” he said.
The governor said arrangement had been made for equitable distribution of the items to reach the most vulnerable persons that were targeted.
He said 30 vulnerable persons, comprising orphans, widows and the physically-challenged, among others, had been targeted in each of the 2,218 polling units across the state.
He appealed to the beneficiaries to be magnanimous to their neighbours by cultivating the attitude of sharing with one another, no matter how small.
Yahaya debunked insinuations that the palliatives were meant for only members of the ruling party, adding that the use of “polling units” for distribution of the materials was just for the purpose of convenience.
Earlier, the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu-Abubakar III, Chairman of the Gombe State Palliatives and Relief Committee, said the gesture would cushion the impact of the pandemic.
Shehu-Abubakar said the items would be given to the targeted people to ensure that the aim of the gesture by the government was achieved.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items distributed include rice, millet, spaghetti, macaroni, sugar and cooking oil.(NAN)
