Kwara Begins Distribution of Another N2bn Food Palliatives to Urban Poor

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Kwara State Government has begun fresh distribution of food palliatives worth N2billion across different areas in the state, especially the urban poor.

The government said: “It is another layer of government’s support to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal and high cost of living”.

Speaking in Ilorin yesterday, the Senior Special Assistant to the state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Community Development, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, said the government is reaching out to the downtrodden through CBOs and religious leaders because of their closeness to the people.

He said: “We believe these CBOs and clerics are closer to the people. They know where the shoes pinch in the communities.

“They know those who are actually in dire need. For the NGOs, they have been working with the needy all these while, and we want to make use of the existing structure to reach out to the downtrodden at this crucial time.

“For the CBOs and CSOs alone (apart from what is being shared through religious bodies), we have 20,000 bags of 10kg rice for the urban poor, especially in the state capital, in this phase.

“So, more bags will be going to the densely populated local government areas through the CBOs. We have also picked some CSOs and NGOs that we know that are working with the poor. Every NGO has its thematic area, and we picked those working with the poor.”

He added: “We have considered the population of the community-based organisations that we have. Most of them are registered with the government.

“So, they are recognised and certified. We have picked some of them from this first phase of palliative distribution.”

Olohungbebe noted  that the state government had various channels of distributing palliatives to the masses aside the distribution of 20,000 bags of 10kg rice through CBOs and NGOs in selected areas.

The state government had last year distributed 250,000 bags of 10kg rice across the state as palliatives to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

Meanwhile, AbdulRazaq Jimba of Magaji Ngeri Joint Youths Association in Ilorin West Local Government Area said: “We are here to receive 100 bags of palliative rice from the Kwara State Government on behalf of our community. Like the previous one, we believe this will bring relief to our people in the community.”

Babatunde Mashood of the Edun Development Association in Ilorin South also said: “We were called to receive 100 bags of 10kg rice on behalf of our community. This will go a long way in reducing hardship in our area, especially among the poor.”