The Edo State Government on Friday flagged off the distribution of food for the feeding of 60,000 less-privileged and vulnerable ones in the state under the state food support programme.
BusinessDay reports that the food support programme was part of the feed the hungry initiative launched by the state governor, Godwin Obaseki on March 8, 2024.
The State Governor Godwin Obaseki flagged off the feeding programme for the Christian faith at Baptist Convention Ground in Benin City.
Obaseki said the programme was part of his government’s policy to cushion the effect of the economic hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
The governor said the feeding programme would serve as a platform for government to get more information on the vulnerable ones that cannot eat three square meals daily as well government empowerment besides free feeding.
“Today, we are launching the first phase of our palliatives programme for those that doesn’t have food to eat. We will also, use this platform to plan for a better empowerment like provision of jobs to the vulnerable ones.
“This first phase will enable us to get more data or information of those that cannot eat.
“We are doing this for God and not for politics. You don’t play politics with what belongs to God,” he said.
According to him, his administration would be giving N1 billion monthly for a period of three months for the implementation of the programme.
While commending the state leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the committee set up for the implementation of the programme, he added that the same programme would be flagged off for the Muslim faithful in the state.
Earlier, in his address, Irekpono Omoike, the State chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), who commended the state government for the feeding programme, noted that 60,000 bags of 10kg of rice have been bought to be distributed to Christians in the three senatorial districts.
Omoike, said 27,000 of the bags were allocated to the seven local government areas in Edo South senatorial district, 18,000 to Edo North while 16,000 for Edo Central senatorial district.
He said 3,000 bags are allocated to each of the 18 local government areas in the state while 6,000 are for churches that are not members of CAN.
He said the association would use the state government world bank collated data for the vulnerable, poorest of the poor to identify the beneficiaries.
The CAN chairman said the bags of rice would be allocated to the five blocks of Christian denominations that made up the association.
