CORONAVIRUS Disease ( COVID-19), is an acute respiratory illness in humans caused by a coronavirus, capable of producing severe symptoms and in some cases death, especially in older people and those with underlying health conditions. It was originally identified in China in 2019 and became pandemic in 2020.Globally , as at today, over 43,790,543 cases of the disease have so far been recorded, with about 1,164, 609 deaths , while 32,182,737 recoveries were recorded. Over 10,443,197 patients were currently being infected , 10,364,094 ( 99 per cent), in mild condition, as well as 79,103 ( 1 per cent), in critical condition .
NIgeria has also had its own share of this global health problem. As at 10:53pm, Monday , October 26,2020, 612,154 samples were tested , 62,111 cases were confirmed , with 3,408 active cases, 57,571 discharged cases and 1,132 deaths across the country . This is indeed a very sad development for the world , Africa and Nigeria .It will go down in history that Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19), has so far remained one of the world’s most deadliest pandemics that had claimed lives, devastated world economy and poses serious health challenges.
As part of the concerted global responses to the raging global Coronavirus Disease, governments across the world have strenously risen to the formidable challenge, with the view to tacitly mitigating the impact of the disease. In Nigeria, the Federal, State and Local Governments have reeled out myriad of plausible measures to ease hardship brought about by the COVID -19 lockdown. This is in addition to support from International, National and Local Organizations, NGOs and CBOs, among other critical stakeholders.
In Kebbi State , the administration of Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu embarked on the judicious distrubution of COVID-19 palliatives, even before the arrival of FGN intervention and other donor agencies. It is noteworthy to categorically state here that, due to the transparent, honest, pious and credible style of leadership of the indefatigable Governor of the state, the much expected and direly need assorted materials provided as palliatives, began in earnest , well in time and without any delay .
This is contrary to what has been alleged to have happened in other parts of Nigeria . The people of the Equity state have no cause to despair, rather, everybody in the State is happy with this God-given leader , Senator Abubakar Atiku and his able lieutenants. The distribution of these palliatives began even before the official flag off of the historic event by the Federal Government. A stitch in time, they say , saves nine . Kudos to this amiable tested and trusted Technocrat.
However, just for the sake of formality, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiyya Umar Faruq, flagged-off the distribution of Covid-19 palliatives to vulnerable persons in Kebbi state.The gesture by the Federal Government is aimed at further cushioning the hardship arising from the Coronavirus ( COVID-19), Pandemic.
The Minister, who flagged off the distribution in Kalgo LGA, on Wednesday 15th September 2020, also used the visit to commiserate with the flood victims in Kebbi state whose farmlands, crops and houses were affected by the disaster.She said that, the distribution was to cushion the effect of covid-19 restrictions in the state.She disclosed that, over 272, 301 vulnerable households will benefit from the Covid-19 palliatives. The Minister also said that, the grains were sourced from the National Strategic Reserve of the country.
She averred:” On behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, I present to you the assorted grains from the National Food Reserve, for the distribution to the 272,309 vulnerable households affected by the action of movement restrictions, to curtail the spread of covid-19 pandemic. “Umar-Faouq lamented that, the pandemic had brought a lot of challenges to the people, especially the vulnerables who largely depended on others for their daily survival.” The food items brought to the fore are, 939.3 metric tones of maize, which is 31 trailer- load ; 976.3 metric tones, which is 32 trailer- load ; and 117 metric tones of sorghum, which is 46 trailer- load,” she said.
Meanwhile, as a sequel to the Ministerial flag off, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu flagged off the distribution of assorted food relief materials donated to no fewer than 38,047 households by the Coalition Against COVID-19 ( CACOVID ) on 6 August 2020. The assorted food items were provided by the Coalition, while the disbursement was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. The food items included Pasta Macararoni, rice, refined salt ,sugar, sphagetti, flour and indomie .
Bagudu, represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Sama’ila Yombe Dabai , said that, a total of forty five (45) trucks of the items were supplied to the state .The governor explained that, modalities had effectively been mapped out to ensure the even distribution of the materials to all the two hundred and twenty five political wards of the state .Bagudu assured justice and equity in the disbursement of the items, through the local councils’ chairmen.
The governor was highly optimistic that, the invaluable gesture would significantly alleviate the suffering occasioned by the negative tolls of the pandemic . According to him: ” All the intended beneficiaries will receive the materials as scheduled and nobody will be missed.” However, I must still warn that , officials Involved in the distribution should be God fearing and honest in the discharge of the assignment .”
Also speaking, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad Argungu,(Jarman Kabi) who is also the Kebbi State Coordinator, COVID-19 Food Relief Programme, stated that , top officials of the state government and those of the Coalition will monitor both the flag off exercise and the actual distribution of the food items, across the state.Argungu, who was also a former Deputy Governor in the state, noted ,” this is to ensure that, the exercise was done according to the plans,while vowing that, appropriate sanctions await anybody who flouts them. ”
The State COVID -19 Task Force Chairman and Health Commissioner, Jafar Mohammed said that, Kebbi State has so far recorded ninety(90) COVID -19 confirmed positive cases,out of the 648 suspected cases investigated. Out of the number, 83 persons have been treated and discharged.According to him, the pandemic has so far claimed seven lives ,while there was no any pending positive case in any of the isolation centres in the State .He lauded Gov Bagudu for according topmost priority to the provision of moral and financial support to all the activities of the taskforce , which was responsible for the colossal successes it had recorded .
In his speech shortly before presentation of the relief materials,the Representative of Coalition Against Covid -19 (CACOVID), Umar Muhammad , said that, the Private Sector coalition Against Covid -19 (CACOVID), is a joint initiative of leading private sector leaders and the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) launched to galvanize urgent support in the fight against Covid -19 in Nigeria.He said because the virus has been reported among individuals across Nigeria with high risk of spreading to affect the population not only in Nigeria with attendant socio-economic and healthcare distruptions, the need to come together to fight for our nation.
He averred ” Today ,the fight for survival has become a necessity, and it is not just the responsibility of the Government, It is our collective responsibility and we must all join the fight to stay alive”,Muhammed also announced that so far the CACOVID in collaboration with state governments has commissioned 38 isolation centers across all the 36 states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) as well as improved the testing capacity of the NCDC with the donation of over 100,000 test kits and various PPEs.
He added that the Food Relief Program which had started would cover 1.6 million families, i e over 10 million Nigerians across the country.
He thanked governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for assisting the CACOVID team in the fight against the the dreaded Covid 19 pandemic in Kebbi State.
Kebbi State Government also said that, it targeted no fewer than 38,047 households across the 21 Local Government Areas of the state will benefit from the 2020 CACOVID food relief distribution in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Jafar Muhammed, who is also State Chairman, Committee on COVID-19, stated this on Saturday during the official inauguration of food relief distribution to local government areas at Kalgo in Kalgo LGA.
Muhammad said,” We want to categorically draw the attention of the chairmen and the committees that will carry out the distribution at the local government levels that, they should make sure distributions and guidelines, which have been attached to the directive are adhered to.
“So, we hope that the exercise will alleviate the sufferings of our people.
“This support is to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic properly; hence, we are expecting that this distribution, at the end of the day, will assist our people,” he said.
He disclosed that the food relief items comprised bags of rice, pasta, refined salt, maize flour and noodles among others.,“The items will be distributed to chairmen of each LGA, while they too will supervise distributions at the ward and community levels,” the commissioner said.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Muhammed Hassan-Shallah, warned council chairmen against failure to adhere to guidelines and misuse of the items.He said: “I am telling you here today that there is no local government chairman that said he didn’t have facilities to ensure distribution of these palliatives successfully.“The state government has provided enabling environment to all chairmen to take these items to their wards and make sure those that need it, receive it.
“So, for any chairman to allow misuse or refuse to abide by the guidelines issued, I think that chairman will hold himself responsible. “All the necessary guidelines, enabling environment for them to do this work expected of them have been given to them.“Therefore, we don’t expect any failure from them,” he said.
It is also imperative to chronicle the complementary efforts of one of the Amazons behind Senator Bagudu, his wife, Dr Zainab Bagudu. The First Lady, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, used the global occasion and distributed palliatives to the poor, vulnerable, as well as persons displaced by security challenges in Danko Wasugu Local Government of Kebbi state.
Under her invaluable gesture, no fewer than 200 vulnerable persons majority of whom were women received mini bags of parboiled rice and millet, while 100 adolescent school girls recieved sanitary packs containning pads, toilet soap tables and cash. The sanitary items were donated by Procter and Gamble as COVID-19 relief to all members of the Northern Governors Wives Forum.
Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Women Development Hon. Zahra’u Abubakar Wali said the United Nations General Assembly designated 19 of August every year as World Humanitarian Day to commemorate humanitarian aid workers and victims of insurgency, conflicts and other crises.
The governor’s wife noted that this year’s Humanitarian Day come as the world fights the COVID 19 Pandemic which also pose threats to humanitarian emergencies. She explained that the palliative is to reduce the hardship faced by the beneficiaries.Dr Bagudu thanked Community Based Organizations, Silazeka Women in Agriculture and Ibakkana Association of Danko Wasagu for diligence in identifying genuine beneficiaries and Sami Gomo Foundation for facilitating a hitch free distribution process.
In a welcome address the representative of the Local Government Chairman Alhaji Hussani Bena expressed profound gratitude to the First Lady for choosing Danko Wasagu Local Government to benefit from the gesture.
Some of the beneficiaries Hannatu Koba, Amina Suleiman and Sani Danjuma who spoke at the event, thanked the Wife of the Governor for coming to their aid especially at this difficult time, saying the gesture will go along way in assisting them.
Similarly, the International Organisation for Relief, Welfare and Development, from Saudi Arabia, through the Muslim World League Initiative, has donated food items to 676 vulnerable persons in Kebbi state, to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.The league also donated medical equipment for the protection of health workers in the state to the State Government.
The food items comprised 676 bags of 10 kilograms of rice, 676 cattons of spaghetti and 676 3 liters of groundnut oil jar to be shared to 676 vulnerable persons drawn from Aliero, Argungu, Augie, Birnin Kebbi,Bunza, Kalgo, Gwandu,Jega and Arewa local government areas of Kebbi State where they already have Programs running.The organization also donated 100 personal protection equipment,1000 face masks and 100 eye goggles to the task force on covid 19 and medical personnel in the state.
While presenting the relief items in Birnin Kebbi, the Head of the International Organisation,Nigeria Office , Kaduna, Sheikh Sharafudeen Suleman, commended Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for consenting to the distribution of the materials by its officials and not those of the state government. He said the gesture was from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of its benovelence to reduce the hardship brought about by Covid 19 pandemic to humannity.
The Chairman, Kebbi State Task Force on Covid 19 who is also the Commissioner for Health , Alhaji Jafaru Muhammad expressed the gratitude for the humanitarian gesture of Saudi Arabia through the Muslim World League. He equally extended the appreciation of Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu to the donors.
The food items were distributed on the spot to the less privileged persons in the presence of the delegation from the organization , members of Kebbi State Task Force on Covid 19, Permanent Secretary Ministry for Women Affairs, Hajiya Aishatu Muhammed Maikurata among others.
Some of the CSOs that participated at state distribution were: Alkali Hussaini Foundation, Bright Capacity Initiative for Community Enhancement, Nana Girls and Women Empowerment, ASURFI/ActionAid, and 3 other teams from PHCDA.Distribution at 21 Local Governments of the State, however, were conducted by the Local Government Stakeholders and monitored by some CBOs.
Indeed, tremendous levels of transparency, honesty and accountability , that are worthy of emulation to further entrench good governance , were tangibly and openly exhibited by the Kebbi State Government in the way the COVID-19 palliatives to the teeming people of the state. The state government led by the God fearing and people-oriented Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has really blazed the trail in this direction . The people of the State are also the better for this happy development.
Just as a reminder, on the 6th day of August, 2020 Stakeholders including the Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and CBOs operating within the state have actively participated in the distribution and disbursements of Palliative/Relief materials across the state. About forty (40) of them participated in the distribution of the said materials across all the politically demarcated wards to the local governments up to the state level.
Interestingly, members of the press were fully involved in the process of distrubution.They fully kept vigil of the whole process, monitored and participated from the point of storage to the various wards and local government areas where the palliatives were distributed.
Yahaya Sarki writes from Birnin Kebbi
