Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on Saturday, launched the distribution of food items to internally displaced persons and the most vulnerable citizens across wards in Borno state as part of palliatives to cushion the effects of lockdown imposed to contain Covid-19 spread.
Zulum did the brief flag off at custom house IDP camp in Muna, Jere local government area.
The Governor announced at the camp that a large quantity of the food to be distributed at the camp was released by the northeast development commisson, NEDC, for which the people of Borno are grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari’s led federal government.
He said the NEDC has donated 15, 000 bags of rice, 15,000 bags of sorghum and 14,000 bags of millet while the state government is providing thousands of bags in variety of food and wrappers.
At the launch, Zulum made a symbolic presentation of bags of food ,cooking oil and wrappers to 4,000 male and female households, each children and other family members.
… Impressed with lockdown, wants Monday, Thursday relaxed
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has on Saturday morning, thanked the people of Borno for high level of compliance with the lockdown order he gave.
Zulum said he will recommend the relaxation of the statewide lockdown on Monday and Thursday to enable residents shop for food stuff and to reduce the hardships they face under the ramadan.
He noted that will table the request to the high powered response team for prevention and control of Covid-19 chaired by the Deputy Governor, Umar Kadafur. The Governor said he will not direct the response team since he gave them the mandate.
Zulum spoke around the empty Maiduguri Monday market after going round the state capital, to monitor compliance of citizens under the lockdown, which he described as very impressive.
“I want to start by registering my profound appreciation to the good people of Borno state for their high level of compliance with the lockdown order. I have gone round the streets quietly with you, journalists and we have seen how people have complied despite the difficulties of complying.
“Even in ordinary times, things are tough for the people of Borno due to the impacts of the boko haram insurgency. The lockdown is no doubt difficult for our people especially with the ramadan.
“Insha’Allah, I will recommend to the high powered response team that they should consider relaxing the lockdown on Monday and Thursday so that people can meet their basic needs. We all know that many people do not have enough food to last them more than a day or two, in fact, many of them have to go out to work in order to get what they eat on daily basis, I have been through what the poor is facing, I know exactly what is there.
“I commend the high powered response team under the Deputy Governor for the wonderful job they are doing and urge them and our citizens to sustain our collective efforts. When the response team accept my recommendation to relax the lockdown on Monday and Thursday, we expect that there will not be a gathering of any form. There must be social distancing. The relaxation should be mainly for making purchases,” Governor Zulum said.
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