Nigeria Donates 5000 Metric Tons of Sorghum to Chad

Tina A. Hassan

1 August 2011

The Federal Government has donated 5000 metric tons of sorghum to the Republic of Chad to cushion the effect of the acute food shortage the country experienced late last year due to inadequate rainfall.

Handing over the grains in Njadmena, the Chadian Capital, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bukar Tijani, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan, said the gesture was in response to the call made by the Extra-Ordinary Council of Ministers of Agriculture convened by ECOWAS in Lome, Togo in May, 2010.

The meeting urged African countries in the sub-region to assist Chad, Niger and Mali which were badly affected by draught and poor harvest.

President Jonathan said Nigeria as a friendly neighbour and big brother must continue to show goodwill and leadership to sister African countries especially in their hour of need.

A statement from the ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development signed by Ibrahim Mohammed said Nigeria had extended similar gesture to Niger Republic early in the year with the donation of 10,000 metric tons of sorghum.

Mr. Ahmat Rakis Manani, the Chadian Minister of Agriculture who received the donation on behalf of President Idris Deby and the people of Chad thanked the Federal Government of Nigeria for the kind gesture.

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