Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen has distributed Ramadan palliatives to 1,833 primary school teachers in his Zaria Federal Constituency, Kaduna State.

The Speaker also gave out a total of 116 motorcycles to headmasters/headmistresses from primary schools within the constituency to ease their transportation to work.

The Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, in a statement issued Monday said Abbas also pledged to extend the gesture to other teachers working at different public primary schools in the constituency before the end of his tenure.

The Ramadan fasting is expected to commence next weekend.

He said the food items distributed to the teachers included bags of rice, cartons of noodles, spaghetti, semovita, and vegetable oil.

Abbas was quoted to have said: “I am passionate about workers in general. Anything that affects the life of a civil servant, especially a teacher, I take it seriously. I don’t support civil servants or teachers because of anything, but I do it wholeheartedly.

“I believe anyone bestowed with leadership and has the opportunity to impact the lives of teachers positively but doesn’t do so, definitely God will ask such a person. No society will progress without enhancing the lives of teachers, especially those at the primary schools.

“I am a living witness, having taught at different primary schools within Zaria for six years when I was studying for my diploma and degree programmes (in the 1980s). I know what teachers go through because I had a firsthand experience in those days when things were better.

“I recall, most of the time, a teacher’s salary could barely last take for two weeks. There were periods that they would take loans, and the lenders would be present when salary was being paid so that they’d get their money right there as we were paid through table payment.

“So, I’m supporting you because you deserve to be supported. In fact, it is your right to be supported.”

This is even as the Speaker commended Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State for his continuous support and understanding, saying “we have an excellent working relationship, which is for the benefit of our dear state.”

At the event were the Chairman of Zaria Local Government Area, Engr. Jamil Ahmad Muhammad; a member of the National Assembly Service Commission, Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi; the Chairman, North West Development Commission, Alhaji Lawal Samaila Yakawada, among others.