Residents of Karonmajiji community of the Abuja Municipal Area Council had reasons to smile on Friday as the World Food Programme began its cash and food distribution programme across Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking to journalists after a symbolic presentation of food and cash to some households in the community, the Country Director of the World Food Programme, Paul Howe said the programme was targeted at alleviating the condition of 50,000 vulnerable people across the FCT.
While lamenting the deplorable living condition of targeted beneficiaries occassioned by the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, Howe, disclosed that the sum of 1 million dollars was budgeted for the programme in FCT alone.
The food items distributed include bags of rice, millet, guinea corn as well as cash donation to each of the households.
According to Howe, “cash transfer stimulates trade and economy. All the people registered and identified as vulnerable will go into national social registry, so that they can be included for the distribution in the future.”
We will enroll people who don’t have bank accounts for this initiative, to enable the programme transfer money to them.
The Director further disclosed that the World Food Programme targets 50,000 households with food and one million dollars in AMAC, Bwari, Kwali, and Gwagwalada.
Commending the efforts of the WFP and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Developmenr for bringing succour to the less priviledged people of the FCT, Sa Peyi of Garki, Usman Ngakupi appealed for investments in communities in order to create jobs for the youths.
