By Ignatius Ushie

The Hon. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq has assured the vulnerable population of the country of the Ministry’s commitment to a coordinated provision of Humanitarian assistance.

In a statement made available to Peaknews, Hajia Farouq made the assertion while speaking at the launch of the ECOWAS – FMHADMSD-WFP Stabilization Fund for the North East and North Western States in Jibia and Faskari local government area of Katsina State.

The Minister who was represented by the Director of Humanitarian Affairs, Alhaji  Ali Grema,  said “ECOWAS came up with interventions to assist Member States in these catastrophic situation; including Nigeria”.

According to her, “the stabilization fund, which we are launching today, provides targeted  interventions to beneficiaries as follows;

1. For resilience building (grinding machine) total 603 beneficiaries distributed in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Katsina state.
2. Nutrition component; 9,380 Children and 1,200 persons living with disability”.

Speaking on the selection process, the Minister said,  the procedures of selecting the beneficiaries were drawn from the National Social Register adding that the process was in-line with the Federal Governments desire of caring for the vulnerable persons in the society.

Continuing, she said “let me at this juncture appreciate the leadership of ECOWAS Commission for their due diligence in implementing the resolution of the Member States with regards to this support and for providing the much technical support through the development of the project proposals.

“Also, I wish to commend the World Food Program for the due diligence they deploy in implementing the project and for always being a reliable partner in the fight against hunger. Let me acknowledge that the implementation of this project couldn’t have been possible without the support and cooperation of the Katsina State Government. Therefore, we sincerely thank the government and the people of Katsina state for all the support especially for the generosity and hospitality accorded to us since our arrival in the  state.

In her address, the Programme officer, WFP, Agnes Mungatia, said WFP is in collaboration with the FG and ECOWAS in its programme on alleviating food and nutrition insecurity in Katsina, Borno, Adamawa and Zamfara states, adding that the programme was also building sustainable livelihood for vulnerable families.

In his remarks, the Katsina state governor, Aminu Bello Masari, represented by his Special Adviser, Department of Empowerment and Social Intervention, Alhaji Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir, thanked ECOWAS, the Federal Government and all the partners for the gesture, promising to devise a mechanism to sustain the program beyond its timeframe in the state, with the view to benefiting more communities.