The Kano State Government has described as “mischievous” reports suggesting that food items donated to the state by the Federal Government as palliatives were destroyed.
It also dismissed the report as “roguish which is being peddled by some disgruntled elements to discredit the effort of the government at all cost.”
Commissioner for Information, Youths and Culture in the state, Malam Muhammad Garba, debunked the reports in Kano on Tuesday.
The reports alleged that the grains from the federal government were destroyed due to lack of storage facilities.
Recall that the federal government had donated over 100 trucks of grains, including millet, maize, rice and sorghum to the states for distribution to the poor to cushion the effects of the lockdown.
However, speculations emerged, alleging that the grains, kept in the open at the Kano State Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO), were damaged by rain in the past few days.
READ ALSO: Lockdown: FG Delivers 110 Trucks Of Grains To Kano
Reacting to the rumour, the commissioner held that the state government had made proper arrangement to preserve the grain adding that prior to the arrival of the food items, the state had recorded its first rainfall and so proper arrangements were made to preserve them.
His words: “We took into consideration the rainy season which has already set in and adopted measures to protect the grains from being destroyed by the prevailing hot weather occasioned by the scorching sun or rain by keeping them under waterproof tarpaulin.’’
Garba explained that the food items were in custody of the State Fundraising Committee on COVID-19, which was mapping out modalities for the distribution of the items to the poor families in the state.
“We completed the first phase of the distribution of palliatives donated by corporate organisations and individuals to the deserving households in the 484 political wards in the 44 local government areas of the state.
He added: “As soon as we are done with the arrangement, the second phase of distribution of food items sent by the federal government will commence.”