The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has announced that President Bola Tinubu has provided 1,200 bags of rice to each minister, aimed at supporting vulnerable individuals at the grassroots level. According to Alake, these palliatives will primarily benefit elderly citizens.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, Alake shared that the rice distribution is part of the Presidency’s broader effort to address the growing need for food in communities across Nigeria.
“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 said.
Alake emphasized that the rice he received would specifically be directed to the elderly, highlighting the need to support older citizens who often struggle to access welfare services. “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 said.
“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 centers. He added that we have taken their inventory and are delivering to them,” he added.
Alake also noted that future relief efforts would focus on other vulnerable groups such as widows, orphans, people living with disabilities, and students. He encouraged well-meaning individuals in Ekiti to support these initiatives to help combat hunger and poverty in the state.
“All hands must be on deck to support efforts to rid the state of hunger and poverty,” Alake urged.
