When launching the distribution in Kano, NEMA Director-General Mr. Mustapha Habib stated that it was in keeping with the delivery of humanitarian help to those affected by natural and man-made catastrophes.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Saudi Arabia-based organization KSrelief has been helping individuals in need outside of the kingdom’s borders.
Habib, who was represented by Hajiya Fatima Kassim, the Planning, Research, and Forecasting Officer for NEMA, stated that the donation was appropriate because it fell during the holy month of Ramadan.
“The 500 vulnerable households affected by disasters in Bunkure communities and other local government areas of Kano State were profiled by NEMA, in collaboration with Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
“Each household will get a total of 59.8kg of food items, including rice (25kg), beans (25kg), masa vita flour (4kg), tomato paste (2kg), vegetable oil (2 litres) and salt (0.8kg),” he said.
Habib said that NEMA, in collaboration with KSrelief, had donated food baskets to 8,050 internally-displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno, Yobe, and Zamfara states between 2018 and 2021.
“The food items will go a long way in contributing to the recovery process of the beneficiaries who have been impacted by insurgency,” he said.
The director-general commended King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman, the Manager of KSrelief as well as the people of Saudi Arabia for their continued concern and support.
Dr. Saleh Jili of SEMA spoke at the event and praised the foundation for the initiative, calling it the first of its type.
He also thanked NEMA for influencing and guiding the state’s donation, while advising the recipients to use the supplies wisely.
Alhaji Nawaf Muhammad, the deputy counsel general at the Saudi Embassy in Kano, had earlier stated that the donation was made to ease the burdens the recipients were bearing and promised to keep doing so.
Speaking on behalf of the recipients, Malam Abdulaziz Muhammad thanked KSrelief and the organization for their generosity and urged continued support.