Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, has given reasons why the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives to residents was delayed in the state.
In the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests, several warehouses, suspected to contain COVID-19 palliatives, were looted and vandalised in some parts of the country.
Tambuwal, who spoke on Tuesday while addressing citizens on the government’s effort to check riots in the state, said Sokoto has no hoarded relief materials meant for distribution.
He said the Sokoto has only received two categories of palliatives since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the first relief materials received from the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) was a bit delayed because the donors wanted the materials to be pooled together before distribution. He added that as soon as this was achieved, the distribution was done.
He said the delay in the sharing of the second category, received on October 17 from the federal government, was on the request of Sadiya Umar Farouk, minister of humanitarian affairs, who wanted to be around when the distribution starts.
“Sokoto state has no case of hoarded relief materials meant as COVID-19 palliative. The state never recorded both the protest and the attendant mayhem.
“There was one by Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), which was a donation by an ensemble of philanthropists.
“The distribution of this category was a bit delayed months ago because the donors wanted the donations to be pooled.
“As soon as that was achieved, we distributed the materials under the supervision of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Sa’idu Umar.
“The other category were those items brought by the federal government through the office of the minister of disaster management, humanitarian affairs and social development, Sadiya Umar Farouk.
“The items were received on Oct. 17, precisely nine days ago. The little delay we had in distributing the FG palliatives was at the instance of various requests by the minister.
“She needed to be personally around when the exercise started. She made the requests five times before turning up. So, it is not our fault that the items are still being distributed as we speak. It was the minister who said we should wait until she comes. And that was what happened.”
He appealed to residents to cooperate with the distributors at all levels for a seamless exercise. He also commended the people of the state for maintaining peace amid the #EndSARS protests.