Sokoto State Governor, Dr Ahmed Aliyu, on Monday, inaugurated a special committee on the sales of assorted food items to the people of the state at fifty-five per cent discount rates.
Speaking while inaugurating the committee, the governor reiterated that the sales of the foodstuffs are meant for every resident of the state irrespective of their political or ethnic differences.
The governor said the committee members were chosen based on their integrity with the majority of them being persuaded to join the committee as part of their contribution to the state and humanity.
He said his administration has introduced various methods of palliatives to the people of the state to address the effects of subsidy removal and the global economic meltdown.
“We are all aware since the inception of the present political dispensation, a number of economic upsets were witnessed nationally and internationally owing to the changing pattern of global economic indices and contraction of fortunes of the global finances.
“However, certain National Reform Policies initiated by the Federal Government to redirect the economic and social fortunes of the country for future growth and development could not pacify the situation in the country. Policies such as the removal of fuel subsidy, electricity tariffs and others, subjected our people to varying economic hardships and numerous tests of livelihood.
“We are all living witness to the fact that numerous efforts in the form of Palliatives were initiated and executed by both the Federal and State Governments to cushion the effect of the hardship.
“Considering the social indices of our state and certain peculiarities, the state government extended various palliatives of different commodities to all corners and cronies of the state free of charge and procured mass transit vehicles whose services were subsidized to ease transportation difficulties of our people within the state and beyond.
“All the efforts were geared towards cushioning the effect of the hardship caused by the downturn of the economy”.
He further said, “Considering the continued upsurge of the economic situation, the present administration felt it necessary to work out an additional approach to alleviate the suffering of our people.
“In this new approach, the state government procured food items and other essential commodities meant to be sold at a 55% discounted rate to enable families access the commodities for the wellbeing of their members.
“The State Government is committed to sustaining the supply of the commodities to all the 244 wards in the state with guaranteed access to all families irrespective of any social differences and/or political affiliations.
“I would like to assure all that the initiative will be sustained until when the economic situation improves in the country.”
The governor however calls on all the well-to-do individuals and corporate bodies in the communities to, not only support the programme but, also complement the efforts of the state government by way of extending the provision of such basic food items and other essential commodities to the needy and less privileged in their communities.
He said the gesture will go a long way in promoting large coverage of the support services to the people. He urges all the well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies in the state to partner with the government in this direction.
Governor Aliyu also calls on all Ulamas in the state to redouble efforts in preaching the importance of such gestures and encourage the general public to participate in their ways towards the attainment of this objective.
He reaffirmed that the sustenance of this initiative requires an organized credible and reliable structure to fast-track the implementation, which he said was one of the reasons why the state government appointed a state monitoring committee and local government co-ordinators to ensure effective and efficient distribution and sales of the food items and other essential commodities to the people across the 23 Local Government Areas of the State.
The Committee would be guided by its terms of reference and other guidelines as may be provided by the Government.
“At this point, I would like to emphasize to members of the Committee to be inaugurated that they were chosen out of many from the society based on integrity and moral uprightness.
“Our Choice is based on confidence that you can deliver with utmost sincerity and fairness. “I have to however reiterate that the members of the committee should know that all eyes are on them assessing how they carry out the overall responsibility entrusted to them based on guidelines so provided by the government”
In his remarks, the chairman of the committee, Chiso Abdullahi Dattijo, commended the state governor on this move which he described as the right direction at the right time.
He assured the governor and the people of the state that the committee would work assiduously to ensure it delivers on the assignment.
“We appreciate you for clarifying the statement that this commodity is for all and not for political interference.
“I appeal to the people of the state to give us their support, I call on the security agents and the bankers to be professional in the discharge of their responsibilities” he added.
