Desmond Mgboh, Kano
A controversy has broken out over the upkeep of the palliative materials delivered to Kano State by the Federal Government a fortnight ago
While a media outlet had alleged that the palliative materials, made up of 110 trucks of grains for the poor and vulnerable in the state, had been left in the open space to be fouled by the sun and the rain, authorities in the state have since dismissed the claim as mischievous and untrue
 Checks conducted by Daily Sun at the the Kano State Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO), where the materials were kept ahead of their distribution in the coming days, showed all the tones of grains, arranged in groups and sets  were under the cover of trampoline to prevent the rains from ruining on them
 A source at the location, however, told Daily Sun in confidence that the palliative materials, which were in 50 kg bags at the point of delivery were being re- bagged into 25kg bags and moved to the stores from where they would eventually be moved.
 The source told Daily Sun that none of the set of palliative materials in the premises of the company was left without a trampoline cover, but added that “yesterday’s rain, which came suddenly, took the boys repackaging a particular set unawares.
 “They sent for a trampoline as soon as they saw the cloudy sky, but before that could come, the rain started falling and fell on them all  The light rain, however, didn’t damage any materials.”
Several top government officials, including the members of the Fund Raising Committee in the state, had visited the site of the palliative materials to establish their present condition and were relieved that they were in good condition”
Daily Sun was told that the distribution of the second phase of palliatives would commence after the Sallah break, adding that this controversy would hasten the pace of the arrangements for their distribution    .
Meanwhile , Kano state government has dismissed as mischievous the report indicating that grains sent to Kano by the Federal Government as palliatives to the state had been left to rot.
The statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Mallam Muhammad Garba, urged the public to disregard the claim, which was being peddled by some disgruntle elements in the stte to discredit the effort of the state government at all cost..
‘’We took into consideration that the rainy season has already set in and took measures to protect the grains from getting destroyed by the prevailing hot weather occasioned by the scorching sun or rain by keeping them under waterproof trampoline,’’ the statement added .
The statement explained that the State Fundraising Committee on COVID-19, which had custody of the food items, was finalizing arrangements to commence distribution of the food items to the poor and vulnerable families in the state.