Bauchi residents clamour for palliatives

Residents of Bauchi state have called for the provision of relief materials to vulnerable groups in the state to cushion the hardship resulting from COVID- 19 partial lockdown.

Some of them who spoke on Tuesday, said the less privileged people were in dire need of assistance from both government and non-governmental organisations in the state.

Mrs. Hasiya Ibrahim, a widow and mother of six children, stated that no palliatives either in form of food items or money, had reached her household.

She said that although, the state was not completely locked down, she was still struggling to survive.

Also, Mr. Aliyu Garba, a welder in Bauchi, said that he had not received any palliatives despite the continued sensitisation on social distancing.

“I tried to lock up my shop to observe the social distancing directive, but nothing has reached me as a form of support. She, I had to come out and continue my small business to take care of my family,” he said.

Some street beggars observed that it would be hard to observe the stay-at-home order over COVID-19 without palliatives from the state government.

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Isa Inuwa and Baba Garba, who are beggars, noted that palliatives were provided in some states, whereas they were given nothing in Bauchi state.

On his part, official of the Muslim Coalition Group, Dr. Abdulmajid Jamal, said his organisation was focusing on generation of data to determine households that deserved palliatives during the lockdown.

Jamal, also a member of monitoring, evaluation and implementation sub-committee of his organisation, said they intended distributing foodstuffs to over 100,000 households.

“The Muslim Coalition is generating data and also receiving donations from well-wishers in the state,” he disclosed.