The Borno State office of the North-East Development Commission has in less than three months distributed more 250,000 food and non-food items to households in Maiduguri.

The NEDC state Coordinator in Borno State, Muhammed Umar, made this known on Saturday during mass distribution of food and non-food items to widows, orphans and physically challenged persons in Maiduguri.

The coordinator said that the distribution was part of the commission’s support during Ramadan to the households in the state.

Mr Umar said, “On behalf of the management team and my colleagues from the commission, we are directed to handover these food and non-food items to the people living with disabilities, widows, orphans and orphanage homes.’’

He said that the commission had in the last couple of weeks distributed more than 50,000 bags of rice, 50,000 bags of sugar, 50,000 cartons of spaghetti, 50,000 cartons of macaroni, 50,000 gallons of vegetable oil, in addition to thousands pieces of prayer mats, wrappers and blankets to the people in the state.

“The commission decided to reach to all the people and groups or organisations but we are starting today with the vulnerable groups such as orphans, widows and persons with disabilities before continuing with other groups such as the security formations, traditional rulers, clubs and associations,” the coordinator said.

He, however, said that for the current event, the commission had decided to distribute 7,000 bags of rice, 5,000 cartons of spaghetti, 7,000 gallons of vegetable, 5,000 bags of sugar, 5,000 pieces of prayer mats and 4,000 pieces of wrappers to the widows, orphans and physically challenged persons, among others.

He stated, “We are also distributing the same food and non-food items to the people and organisations in other states of the North-East, namely Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and Yobe. We did the same thing last year but to the selected or sizable beneficiaries. While this year, we have expanded the programme to include other people and groups such as the legislatures to give to their constituencies and royal fathers as well as security agencies and the Borno State Government to enable them reach their people.’’

(NAN)