The Jigawa Government has approved the procurement of 27,000 bags of rice and 10,800 cartons of spaghetti for distribution to residents as Ramadan gesture.
The Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, Alhaji Sagir Musa, made this known in a statement in Dutse on Wednesday.
Musa said the procurement was approved by the State Executive Council during its meeting on Monday.
“The State Executive Council on Monday,approved a Memorandum presented by the Ministry of Special Duties for the award of contract for procurement of grains as palliatives support for residents in the1445AH/2024 Ramadan Season.
“The council approved the procurement of 27,000 bags of rice and 10,800 cartons of spaghetti as palliatives for the 1445AH/2024 Ramadan fasting,” Musa said.
He explained that the gesture was aimed at cushioning the hardship people faced as a result of high costs of food items in the market.
The commissioner added that the council had also approved the introduction of a special programme that would enable civil servants in the state to benefit from the agricultural revolution of Gov. Umar Namadi’s food security initiative.
According to him, the programme, tagged: “Jigawa Worker Agricultural Support Scheme (JWASS), is an agricultural inputs loan” for
workers at all levels.
Musa said the objective of the scheme was to enable workers achieve food security.
“During the deliberation, the council
approved the formation of an Extra-Ministerial committee to coordinate the
scheme under the leadership of the Head of Service and other members.
“The members include the Commissioner of Finance, Commissioner of Women Affairs, Commissioner for Information, Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Director General, Jigawa State Employment and Empowerment Agency.
“Others are the Technical Adviser on
Agriculture, Managing Director, Jigawa Agricultural Development Authority,
and representatives of organised Labour – NLC and TUC, while the Ministry of Justice will provide the secretariat for the committee and a Secretary,” Musa added