The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to develop procedures for the direct distribution of food items released from strategic reserves at the state and local government levels.

A statement from Mr. Manzo Ezekiel, the Head of the Press Unit at the agency, clarified a Daily Trust publication regarding the recent approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to release food items from strategic reserves for distribution to Nigerians by NEMA.

Daily Trust had reported that two weeks after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the agric ministry to release 42,000 metric tons of maize, millet, and other commodities from the national strategic reserve to Nigerians for free, the items are yet to be distributed.

Ezekiel clarified that the food items were presently being bagged by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security at the silos.

He explained that the food items were not in bags but in the silos, hence they needed to be bagged before they would be transported directly to the states and local government areas, where all stakeholders will be involved in the distribution.

Ezekiel noted that haulage of the bagged items from silos will start very soon. “The agency has also prepared a detailed breakdown of the distribution per states and LGAs as well as established all relevant stakeholders including State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and security agencies for a seamless distribution nationwide.

“This concerted effort is aimed at making the distribution process efficient, transparent, and far-reaching to every part of the country,” he said.

He stated that NEMA and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security were working together on the directive of the president and approval by the FEC.

Maureen Onochie; From the News Source: Nigeria