The Speaker, House of Representatives, Dr Abbas Tajudeen, on Sunday in Zaria flag-off the distribution of 9,000 bags of 50kg rice to Zaria constituents.
The speaker, represented by his Campaign Director, Alhaji Iliyasu Balarabe, said there are 15 trucks containing 600 of 50kg bags of rice each, which would be distributed across the constituency in phases.
He said the distribution of the rice was part of measures to cushion the effect of the harsh economic realities occasioned by fuel subsidy removal.
Tajudeen added that over 30,000 households from 584 polling units across the 13 wards of the constituency would receive the palliative.
According to him, beneficiaries of the programme are categorised into six groups; the vulnerable, less privileged, associations, traditional institutions, religious bodies and politicians.
The speaker added that the palliative was not meant for members of his political party alone, but for all residents in the constituency.
“As the Speaker of the National Assembly, I am working and serving all Nigerians irrespective of political, tribal or religious background. Therefore, this palliative is meant for all residents in the constituency,” he explained.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) observed that the distribution was conducted in each of 13 ward levels where two beneficiaries received 50kg bags of rice to be shared amongst them.
A beneficiary, Malam Aliyu Abdullahi of 029 in Tudun Wada Ward, Zaria Local Government Area, described the gesture as unprecedented, noting that the intervention arrived when the people were in dire need of food.
Similarly, another beneficiary, Malama Asabe Gambo of 027 polling unit in Tudun Wada Local Area, applauded the speaker’s gesture and called for more social intervention to alleviate the sufferings of the constituents.
