COVID-19: Mixed reactions herald sharing of palliatives in Niger

The palliatives provided by the Niger state government as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is now a source of concern to the citizens of the state barely a month after the distribution of the palliatives commenced.

A concerned citizen, the Sarkin Makafin of Minna (Leader of the blind people), Malam Rabiu Abdullahi, who spoke to our correspondent took a swipe at the state government over its perceived insensitivity to the of the poorest of the poor in society.

He added that since directive for citizens of the state to stay- at -home in order to avoid the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in early March, the state government only gave 21 measure of grains, consisting of eight measure of rice, maize and millet each to be shared among over 1,500 households in Minna.

According to him, the COVID-19 palliatives was only given to blind male members, excluding their female members.

Malam Abdullahi therefore, expressed disappointment at the government over its insensitivity to the plights of his members considering the socio-economic realities in the country at the moment.

He asked: “How did the state government in its wildest imagination want us to share 21 measure of grains among such a large number of households, if the government’s thinking is in consonance with the thinking of members of the public, particularly, poor people like us, the blind men and women who depend on begging for alms on daily basis to sustain our daily needs.

“I am married with three wives and blessed with 30 children, likewise my other members, who are either married with one or two wives or blessed with many children like me and others who might not have been married nor blessed with children at all because fingers are not equal.”

He also accused the government of not considering it important to accompany the little COVID-19 food palliatives with condiments.

He argued his position is against the backdrop of the several billions of naira donations both in monetary and material terms from the private sector, which was announced by government on the radio on daily basis.

“When the little food items were brought, we in the leadership position had to make sacrifices for our members, so that it can be shared among the less privileged ones in our midst.

“But, we are disenchanted with the government officials including the state governor over their insensitivity to the plights of the poor people in the society,” Abdullahi stated.

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He also complained bitterly over the refusal of government to supply them with soaps, hand sanitizers, hand gloves and face masks with the view to demonstrating total compliance to the protocols issued by the federal and state governments.

He however, noted that at the commencement of the lockdown and the stay -at -home order in the state, the Chairman of the state’s COVID-19 task force, Ahmed Matane, had led a high powered delegation to his residence at Nasarawa Ward of Minna metropolitan area on the need to appeal to his members to obey the stay -at -home order.

He lamented that all the promises made to him and him members by Matane who is also the Secretary to the State Government ( SSG) were not fulfilled to the disappointment of members of the blind community in Minna, the state capital.

Abdullahi however, expressed appreciation to well-meaning citizens and other members of the public who have assisted his members with both cash and other relief materials to cushion the effects of the hardship on his members and their immediate family members.