Determined to continue to cushion the effect of COVID-19 on the vulnerable groups, the Gombe state committee on relief and palliatives has commenced the second phase of the distribution of relief materials to registered associations and vulnerable groups across the state.

The committee, chaired by the Emir of Gombe, Dr Abubakar Shehu Abubakar lll had earlier distributed relief materials where nearly 3000 house holds across the state benefitted.

The Street Reporters Newspaper conformed that the 2nd phase of the relief materials distribution exercise was carried out by the Secretary of the committee, Barrister Mela Nunghe, who is also the commissioner for Special Duties. He listed 19 groups and associations that will benefit from the exercise.

Presenting the relief items, Barrister Nunge said all the listed associations are government registered with elected leadership who met the committee’s criteria.

He said food items provided by the committee for the beneficiaries include Rice, Maize, Sugar, Vegetable oil and Tomato paste among others.

Nunge listed Gombe state chapters of Christian Association of Nigeria and its Women wing, Jama’atul Nasril islam, Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) among others scheduled to benefit from the gesture.

All the benefitting associations are to be segmented into groups to avoid chaos during the distribution exercise while more qualified vulnerable groups will be listed out by the committee after the 19 selected associations are attended to.

Barrister Nunge noted that the Emir of Gombe-led committee deployed IT mechanism during the 1st phase of the exercise to ensure the targeted persons in each associations get the relief materials and will ensure same approach is sustained in the 2nd phase.

He affirmed that Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya is passionate in supporting the needy as such the committee will ensure fairness in the exercise, even as he assured that such gesture will continue as long as the pandemic lasts.

Some of the officials that represented the benefitting associations in the distribution exercise expressed optimism that the relief packages given out will reach out to vulnerable persons in their respective associations.

They thanked Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for bringing succour to their vulnerable members such as those with physical deformities, orphans, widows and the poor.