In a bid to address food insecurity and provide relief to vulnerable communities, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has allocated 1,200 bags of rice to each minister for distribution. This initiative is part of broader relief efforts aimed at easing the burden on citizens amid rising food costs.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, announced that his allocation will be distributed specifically to elderly residents in Ekiti State. The decision was made public through a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, in Ado Ekiti on Sunday.
Dr. Alake emphasized that the rice distribution is part of the Presidency’s response to the calls from Nigerian citizens for increased food availability at the grassroots level.
“Following the decision of the Presidency to respond to the yearnings of the Nigerian people to make more food available at the grassroots, 1,200 bags were made available to each minister to further supplement the established channels of distribution such as state governments and civic organisations,” Alake stated.
He explained that the rice distribution in Ekiti would focus on elderly citizens who might not be able to access relief through regular distribution channels. “We need to reach out to our aged fathers and mothers at times like this to demonstrate the Omoluabi values of taking care of the old in the community,” he added.
Alake assured that future interventions would target other vulnerable groups, including widows, orphans, persons living with disabilities, and students in higher institutions of learning.
This move comes as the federal government continues to work on measures to mitigate the impact of inflation and food shortages across the country.
