Dangote Foundation rice: Governor Sule supervises distribution to 13 LGs, warns against diversion

Governor Abdullahi Sule on Sunday personally supervised the distribution of 30,000 bags of 10kg rice donated by the Aliko Dangote Foundation to vulnerable citizens across the 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State, with a strong warning that the palliative must reach the intended beneficiaries.

Governor Sule, while delivering his address at the Government House Parade Ground in Lafia, directed that each local government area should take delivery of 2,300 bags of rice, with chairmen given the responsibility of ensuring the commodity gets to the poorest people in their communities.

The Governor apologised to the people, especially Christians, for holding the event on a Sunday afternoon, explaining that he had to attend the distribution personally before travelling out of the country.

“I sincerely apologise to you for dragging you out here in the middle of the sun on a Sunday that you are supposed to be resting. It was actually a very big burden on me. Even I do not want to go out at this kind of day, especially on Sunday,” he told the gathering.

Governor Sule disclosed that Aliko Dangote had personally called him and insisted that no representative from the foundation should be sent to Nasarawa State for the distribution because of his relationship with the Governor and the Emir of Lafia.

“In our state, we had assigned the Commissioner for Environment to receive them, just like she did last year. But all of a sudden, Alhaji Aliko Dangote himself called and said that in Nasarawa State, where he has my father, the Emir of Lafia, and he has me, there is no way he can send a representative. So he said we should try and distribute this rice without the presence of anyone from the Foundation, because we are members of the Dangote Foundation,” Governor Sule explained.

He assured the Foundation’s president and management that the state government would ensure the palliatives reach the most vulnerable in Nasarawa State.

To achieve this, the Governor announced that committees had been constituted at both state and local government levels to monitor the exercise.

He named members of the state committee to include the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, the Secretary to the State Government, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Commissioner for Women Affairs.

“At the local level, they include the traditional rulers, the Chairman of the local government, the Commissioner in that local government, all political appointees, as well as administrators of development areas, so that this rice will reach the various destinations,” he stated.

Governor Sule also revealed that the state had commenced distribution of 12,000 bags of 25kg rice donated by former Zamfara State governor, Senator Ahmed Yari, stressing that over 6,000 bags had already been shared to churches, mosques, associations and political parties for onward distribution to the vulnerable.

He commended the Dangote Foundation for sustaining its humanitarian services in the state and for selecting Nasarawa as one of the states benefiting from the highest quantity of rice.

In an opening remarks, the Secretary to the State Government, Labaran Shuaibu Magaji, SAN, explained that the rice displayed at the event was for five wards within Lafia metropolis, with each ward receiving about 150 bags for ease of recognition and distribution.

“Each local government is taking away 460 bags of the 10kg rice for onward distribution to all the needy and vulnerable in the society in compliance with the desire of the founder of Dangote Foundation,” Magaji said.

He assured that the State Government had put in place machineries to monitor implementation and ensure the products get to the right people.

Responding on behalf of the local government chairmen, ALGON Chairman Hon. Safiyanu Isa Andaha pledged that the council bosses would be fair and just in distributing the items to the most vulnerable people in their domains.

“Your Excellency, while appreciating the Dangote Foundation and appreciating you, I want to pledge the assurances of us, the executive chairmen, along with the Honourable Commissioners, and in collaboration with our fathers, traditional rulers across our local government, that we will be fair and just to all while distributing this item,” he said.