Kaduna, Kano, Katsina Residents Express Frustration Over Undelivered FG Rice

Residents of Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina States have expressed disappointment over the delay in receiving rice donations from the Federal Government, aimed at alleviating the food crisis. Despite the announcement that 20 trucks of rice had been dispatched to each of the 36 states and the FCT as part of the government’s efforts to boost food security and ease hardship, many citizens claim they have not yet benefited from the distribution.

In Kaduna, several residents lamented the situation, stating that they had only heard about the rice distribution through the media. Salisu Musa, a resident of Rigasa, revealed that neither he nor anyone in his community had received the rice. “As a traditional title holder in Rigasa, we have not seen any rice from the Federal Government. However, we did receive fertilizer, and we appreciate that,” Musa said.

Ibrahim Yusuf, another resident from the Doka area, confirmed that while a few bags of rice had been reportedly taken to a local mosque, the majority of people had not benefited. He also noted that fertilizers were distributed in the area, from which many residents had benefited.

The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State Council did, however, receive some bags of rice from the Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), which had received 2,400 bags from the Federal Government. The rice was distributed to journalists and faith-based organizations, with each beneficiary receiving a 25kg bag.

Despite these distributions, many residents in other parts of the state, including Chikun Local Government Area, expressed frustration over the inadequate quantity of relief items. Some accused community leaders of bias and lack of transparency in the distribution process. Mrs. Asabe Markus, a resident, suggested that the palliatives were being distributed based on political affiliations, while Mrs. Rakiya Hadi, another resident, complained about receiving only two measures of rice, insufficient to feed her family for even a week.

In Zaria, reports on the distribution of palliatives were mixed. Alhaji Bello Habib, the Technical Assistant to the Council Chairman on Strategic Communications, confirmed that the council had received 600 bags of maize and millet, which were distributed across the council’s wards and some boarding secondary schools. However, there was no clarity on the distribution of rice from the Federal Government. Many residents, like Mohammed Abdullahi of Unguwar Fatika and Haruna-Rasheed Musa of Kakaki, stated that they had not received any rice or other interventions from the government.

In Kafanchan, residents also reported not having received any rice palliatives from the Federal Government. Marta Maigari, a retired civil servant, said she was aware of the government’s donation of 20 trucks of rice but noted that none had reached the people in her area. Godwin Kumai, Coordinator of the Jema’a Community Development Charter, echoed this sentiment, stating that no rice palliatives had been distributed at the local government level, although some vulnerable people had received fertilizer from the state government.

Meanwhile, in Katsina State, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has pledged to ensure that the rice distributed to the state by the Federal Government reaches the intended beneficiaries. Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdullahi, Chairman of the coalition, noted that they are closely monitoring the distribution process to ensure fairness and transparency.

In Kano State, the government announced that it had successfully distributed 130 trucks of foodstuffs, including rice, maize, millet, and sulphur, across the 44 local government areas. Dr. Danjuma Mahmud, Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, stated that the food items were delivered to the local government headquarters for further distribution to wards, villages, and districts. The beneficiaries included civil society organizations, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and local government officials.

As efforts continue to distribute these palliatives, many residents remain hopeful that they will soon receive the much-needed relief.