The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has presented 1,312 metric tonnes of assorted food commodities to the Kaduna State government for distribution to vulnerable persons in the state.

The agency’s director-general, Zubaida Umar, stated this on Friday during the presentation of food items to Governor Uba Sani for onward distribution to vulnerable persons in the state.

Ms Umar said the gesture was part of the federal government’s efforts to cushion the effects of the country’s high cost of food items.

Ms Umar said, ”In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, Mr President approved the release of 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted food commodities from the National Strategic Reserve.

“The assorted food commodities include maize, millet, sorghum and garri and are to be distributed to the identified deserving beneficiaries in the communities through the constituted committees in each local government area.

“It is worthy of note that based on the allocation table, Kaduna State has been allocated 550 metric tonnes of maize (10,120 bags of 50kg), 650 metric tonnes of sorghum (11,778 bags of 50 kg) and 237 metric tonnes of millet (4,370 bags of 50kg).”

The director-general explained that, based on the federal government’s directive, 20 per cent of the food items due for each LGA would be given to religious organisations, and three per cent would be handed over to boarding schools in the area.

The NEMA boss used the opportunity to alert the state governor to the 2024 seasonal climate predictions and the annual flood outlook and urge the state to be prepared.

Ms Umar said the predictions indicated that in April, May and June, 25 states and 72 LGAs were flood-high-risk areas, indicating heightened vulnerability to flooding.

She said the vulnerability would persist into the subsequent months of July to September, with 33 states and 135 LGAs identified as high-risk areas, while the period between October and November had 19 states and 44 LGAs.

Mr Sani directed the committee in charge of the distribution and security agencies to ensure the grains reach the identified vulnerable persons.

He assured the broad-based committee that it would ensure that the grains were distributed to the vulnerable citizens fairly and equitably.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Usman Mazadu, executive secretary of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), commended NEMA for its support of the vulnerable in the state.

(NAN)