The Federal Government has donated over Seven Hundred Metric Tonnes of Grains to Ekiti State as part of efforts to address the current economic challenges and food shortage among the vulnerable persons across the country.
The Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Alhaja Subaida Umar handed over the assorted food commodities to Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji in Ado Ekiti.
Our Correspondent Oriola Afolabi who was there, reports that the assorted food items were made up of Maize which is Twelve thousand, eight hundred bags of 50kg and 25kg of three thousand and eight bags of Garri.
While handing over the assorted food commodities, the NEMA Director General, Alhaja Zubaida Umar represented by the South-West Zonal Director of the Agency, Mr Stephen Adewale said that based on the
directive of President Bola Tinubu, twenty percent of the food items due for each Local Government Area in Ekiti should be given to Religious Organizations
Alhaja Umar explained that a total of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains, comprising rice, garri, sorghum, and millets, were released by Tinubu’s government to 36 states to reduce the effect of increase in prices of food commodities in Nigeria.
She observed that federal government was aware of the negative effects of the current economic downturn, saying that the step will go a long way in mitigating the effect.
“All these attest to the fact that the partnership between Governor Oyebanji and FG’s agencies is yielding dividends for our people. Just as we have been doing, we will make sure these materials get to the targeted population to justify the reasons for which it was released”, she said.
Receiving the food items, Governor Biodun Oyebanji who was Represented by the Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye appreciated President Bola Tinubu for the gesture, with a promise that the commodities would be distributed to vulnerable groups to give them a lifeline
Mr Oyebanji emphasized that Nigeria would soon overcome the current economic downturn and called for the support of various stakeholders in moving the country forward.
“The food items will be shared equally to all the Local Government Areas in Ekiti. Based on the directives of Mr President, 20% of the food items due for each LGA should be given to religious organisations, and 3% to be given to boarding schools”, he said.
Earlier, the General Manager, Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Oludare Asaolu had described the initiative as a way of ensuring that dividends of democracy get to the populace.
He revealed that no fewer than 20,000 Ekiti Residents, who belonged to different vulnerable categories, benefited from similar gesture in 2023.
