Story from Beatrice GONDYI, Bauchi
Bauchi State’s First lady, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed has empowered over 150 women groups and associations with money and other relief items to commemorate this year’s world humanitarian day.
The First Lady who in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, organised the celebration held at the premises of the First Lady’s office.
Items distributed during the event are, pasta making machines, flour, 100 tubes of yam, coolers, frying pan, beans, milk, sugar, masa frying pan, doughnuts making pan, pots stirring spoons, colanders, groundnuts, 100 crates of minerals, soya beans, 50 crates of eggs among others.
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While delivering her speech, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed said the day was set aside by United Nations General Assembly in 2008 and was first celebrated on the 19th of August 2009, where some humanitarian workers were killed and injured in the cause of their work and to honour all aides and health workers who continue despite all odds, to provide life-saving support and protection to people in need.
She said over the years Al-Muhibbah Foundation and her office have been carrying out humanitarian services through human capacity development, provision of healthcare services as well as providing empowerment materials to the less privileged individuals in the state.
Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed also said the gesture was born out of her desire to assist the less privileged and reduce the massive poverty bedevilling the society, as the world continues in fighting against COVID-19 pandemic hence the need to provide lifesaving support to cushion the negative impact of the pandemic.
In her welcome address, the Commissioner Women Affairs and Child Development, Hajia Hajara Gidado commended the First Lady for the good initiative for the day, which can assist the women towards reducing poverty among others in the state.
In his goodwill message the state chairman of the Nigerian Red Cross, represented by Alhaji Yusuf Aliyu Lere said the 2020 world humanitarian day focuses on what drives humanitarians to continue to save and protect lives despite the conflict, insecurity and more so the risk linked to COVID-19, underscore the need for government and other bodies to rally round aid workers for better result.
Alhaji Lere reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Red Cross Society in Bauchi State in complimenting government efforts in fighting the pandemic.
He called on the government to straighten the existing relationship by earmarking monthly subvention to the state branch of the society to effectively and efficiently carry out its humanitarian services to all citizens.
