Dr. Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, announced that the 1,200 bags of rice provided by the Presidency as palliatives will be distributed exclusively to the elderly in the state.
This information was shared in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, and made available in Ado Ekiti on Sunday.
Read Also: BREAKING: Tinubu Lands In Trouble After Hike In Fuel Price
The minister said, “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.”
He said that the 1200 bags made available to him “will be channelled to the aged only”, adding, “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.
“In the spirit of inclusion, it is important that we channel this intervention to mainly elderly citizens who do not have the strength to compete for welfare goods such as these at the established centres. We have taken their inventory and we are delivering to them.
“Subsequent interventions will target other segments of the populace such as widows, orphans, persons living with disabilities and students in higher institutions of learning,” Alake said.
He urged all community-minded residents of Ekiti to contribute to helping those in need, emphasizing that collective effort is crucial to combat hunger and poverty in the state.