The Federal Government (FG) has released 44,656 bags of assorted food stuff to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) residents to assuage food shortage, high prices and mass hunger plight.
The gesture, which also serves as a lifeline to the residents is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, confirmed that the FCT Administration had taken delivery of 23,996 bags of 25 kg of rice from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
She also said that an additional consignment of 20,660 bags consisting of 4680 bags of maize, 13,920 bags of sorghum, 960 bags of garri and 1100 bags of millet had been received.
The minister disclosed this during the official flag off ceremony of the distribution of the items to the residents on Thursday.
Recall that that prices of food stuff in the FCT, like in other parts of the country, have gone up astronomically with residents lamenting bitterly.
In order to ensure roper distribution, Mahmoud said that she had instructed the relevant Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs) to put in place the necessary security measures to avert the ugly incidence of the past when miscreants hijacked the products.
She appealed to all residents to conduct themselves in an orderly manner by cooperating fully with the distribution teams for the success of the distribution.
“We are also not oblivious of the fact that for any meaningful development to be sustained, due attention must be placed on the welfare of our citizens,” the minister said.
“To achieve this, we have placed priority on re-invigorating the agricultural sector, which is crucial to achieving our collective quest for food and nutrition security.
“We will continue to work assiduously to create a safe, secure and an enabling environment that fosters agricultural investments, ensuring that no resident of the FCT goes hungry.”
The Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, ARDS, Lawan Kolo Geidam, thanked Tinubu for his visionary leadership and foresight in addressing the rising cost of food staples and making the critical intervention possible.
He disclosed that the secretariat had perfected plans with the area council authorities to develop a meticulous distribution plan that would ensure an efficient exercise, making sure that the food items reach the targeted groups.
The identified beneficiary groups, Geidam disclosed, include the six area councils, Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), faith-based organisations (JNI & CAN) and the 17 graded chiefs.
Others are Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), all the widows groups in FCT, all the orphanages in FCT, groups of persons with disabilities in the FCT, Leprosy colony residents, Bwari Rehabilitation Home, Wako Orphanage and IDP camps.
He added that the secretariat had mobilised over 1,000 vulnerable individuals who would each receive a direct allocation of food items.
He said that the secretariat would follow-up the exercise by delivering the items to the area councils, ensuring that the items reach the most vulnerable members of the community.
