The National Coordinator of the 'Baba For All', Alhaji Aminu Jaje Sani distributing food items to IDPs in Borno State.
By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri-
A Non Governmental Organization (NGO) known as Baba For All (BFA), a pet project of President Muhammadu Buhari has on Sunday flagged off the distribution of food items to about 60,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across various refugees camps in Borno State.
The Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, who kicked start the distribution at Muna IDPs camp,, outskirts of Maiduguri City, said the gesture came at the right time, as Muslim faithful are observing the Holy Month of Ramadan Fast and need such support for Iftar and Sahur.
“The State Government is doing its best in taking care of IDPs as well as managing the insecurity bedevilling its people, adding that the task is huge for government to take up the responsibility alone, hence, all hands must be on deck in addressing these challenges”.
“When I took over the mantle of leadership, the present administration inherited a total of two million IDPs. Presently, we have 25 formal camps and 35 non- formal camps. On a serious note, government is finding it very difficult to provide food for this quantum number of our IDPs”. Zulum said.
On his part, The National Coordinator of the ‘Baba For All’, Alhaji Aminu Jaje Sani, said the foundation comprises of donors and sponsors from serving and former House of Representatives of the National Assembly who are loyal supporters to President Buhari, since 2003.
Alhaji Sani explained that the NGO has Chairmen in each of the 36 states of the Federation including Abuja, while in Borno State, the NGO is been headed by Hon Usman Zanna, The House of Representatives member representing Kaga, Gubio and Magumeri Federal Constituency.
He said group of Buhari’s loyalists, contributed from their pockets to fund BFA to better the lives of the poor masses, especially, the most vulnerable groups in the society who have been supportive to President Buhari.
The Chairman added that the NGO have procured 20 trucks of 50/25kg bags of rice, 10 trucks of 50/25kg bags of maize and millet for onward distribution to 60,000 IDPs in Borno, State, while a total of 500,000 beneficiaries are expected to benefit from the gesture Nationwide.
According to him, BFA, as an NGO was coming at a time President Buhari is about to exit from office, notng that, with committed membership, the NGO is determined to touch the lives of the vulnerable groups in the society which would not only be on food interventions, but also in education, health, agriculture and other sectors of the economy.
In her remarks, The Director General, Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Hajiya Yabawa Kolo thanked BFA for the gesture which came at a time the IDPs are observing their Ramadan Fast.
She however assured that the food items donated would be judiciously distributed to the beneficiaries accordingly while commending the state Governor for his support and concern to the IDPs in the state.