COVID-19:ECOWAS Lends A Helping Hand To Nigeria with 3999 Tons Of Cereal To Vulnerable People
The Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS), weekend, made a donation of 3,999 tons of cereal to vulnerable households in Kano state,Nigeria to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
A statement by ECOWAS stated “this regional solidarity has been demonstrated through two food donations of a total quantity of 3,999 tons of cereals comprising millet and sorghum. The first donation consisting of 1,196 tons of cereals, was financed by the Humanitarian Emergencies Fund of the ECOWAS Commission.
“The second donation was of 2,803 tons of cereals, and was funded by the Regional Food Security Storage Support Project, that the European Union (EU) is financing for a total amount of €56 million. The donations are destined to support the most vulnerable populations and households.”
In his remarks on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission H.E Jean- Claude Kassi Brou during the event,the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Water Resources and Environment, Mr. Sekou Sangare, reaffirmed the solidarity of the ECOWAS Commission and that of the other Institutions of the Community to all suffering and demised citizens resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic.
Sangare added that “Saving human lives also means giving food to people affected not only by the Coronavirus but also providing food for our brothers and sisters, our parents affected by terrorism and banditry, violent conflicts and climate change as most of the women and children have been forced to flee their villages to settle further very often in extreme poverty circumstances.”
Commissioner Sangare further appreciated the technical and financial partners including the French Development Agency (AfD), the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the quality of assistance given recurrently to ECOWAS and for their regular and various support towards the operationalization of the Regional Food Security Reserve as well as the resilience and humanitarian action programs.
Also speaking at the event, Nigeria’s Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadia Umar Farouq, said there are strategies put in place to realise the vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within the next ten year agenda.
Similarly, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Zubairu Dada stated that the donation demonstrates the responsibility of ECOWAS in the sustenance of the Community’s regional socio-economic agenda, stressing that Nigeria welcomes the solidarity displayed and would continue to work in support of the ECOWAS’ regional agenda.
On his part, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development Alhaji Mustapha Baba Shehuri indicated that the donations will be adequately distributed while giving the assurance that the stock to be handed on would be replenished when due.
The Representatives of the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the French Ambassador to Nigeria Dr. Abubakar Suleiman and Mr. Stephen Malaussene respectively pledged to continuously support Nigeria’s food security needs while maintaining consistent collaboration with ECOWAS.
The governor of Kano State Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who was represented by the Commissioner for Higher Education Dr. Mariya Mahmud Bunkure, reiterated the strides of the state government in the war against Covid-19 by evolving preventive, curative and palliative strategies. She expressed the gratitude of the people of Kano State for the assistance brought by ECOWAS.
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