Pensioners Get Rice, Sugar Gifts In Borno

The immediate past Borno state Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Youth Empowerment (PAYE), Usman Durkwa, has yesterday distributed over 3, 000 bags of rice and sugar along with cash donations to pensioners and the less privileged across the 27 council areas for the Ramadan fast.

The distribution of food items, according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Special Education, was to cushion the hardship encountered by people from nine council areas in southern part of the state.

Making the distribution at the Musa Usman Secretariat complex, Maiduguri, Durkwa said that the modalities of distribution are on ward basis, whereby each and every beneficiary gets a bag of rice and sugar to complete the Ramadan fast.

Durkwa noted that with the dwindling economy, which led to current hardship, he had to identify with his people.

He also insisted that the motive behind the gesture was devoid of any political and religious considerations, as even his Christian brethren in southern parts of the state have been benefitting from this gesture during Christmas and Easter celebrations.

Shettima’s administration, according to him, was committed in transforming the state in the areas of health, housing, agriculture, infrastructure and poverty alleviation among others, irrespective of ethnic or political differences.

Aji Kolo Jere and Musa Ibrahim, both beneficiaries, expressed gratitude to Durkwa for the gesture.