Tinubu’s Wife Launches Food Bank to Tackle Hunger in South-East
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the National Community Food Bank Programme for the South-East geopolitical zone as part of efforts by the Federal Government to address hunger and improve access to nutritious food among vulnerable Nigerians.
Remi Tinubu unveiled the programme in Anambra State on Thursday during her official visit to the state.
The launch took place at the Old Governor’s Lodge in Amawbia, with the initiative designed to provide direct support to vulnerable households across the region.
The South-East food bank is expected to focus on groups considered most vulnerable to food insecurity.
They include widows, elderly persons, people living with disabilities, nursing mothers and young children.
The intervention will not be limited to the distribution of food items.
It also includes nutrition education and other forms of support aimed at improving the health and welfare of beneficiaries.
The First Lady described the initiative as part of the Renewed Hope Initiative of the Federal Government and a practical intervention to cushion the effects of economic hardship on families.
“This initiative reinforced the Federal Government’s policies aimed at tackling poverty, promoting sustainable agriculture, and strengthening social safety nets in Anambra State and the wider South-East region.
“It demonstrates a reinforced partnership between the Federal Government and the state governments of the region towards inclusive economic growth and societal welfare,” Tinubu added.
The programme is part of a wider national rollout of the National Community Food Bank initiative across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The South-East launch in Anambra follows similar zonal launches in other parts of the country, including the North-East and South-West.
The initiative is being implemented through collaboration involving the office of the First Lady, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and the Bank of Agriculture.
In Anambra, preparations for the programme had already begun before the First Lady’s arrival.
Screening, verification and enrolment exercises were conducted at designated health facilities across the state to identify people who meet the requirements for the intervention.
The Maternal and Child Health Centre in Amawbia serves the Anambra Central zone, while Aku Ezinifite Primary Health Centre serves Anambra South and the Basic Primary Health Centre in Onitsha North serves Anambra North.
The screening exercise has placed particular attention on children below six years, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Health officials are expected to assess their nutritional status before eligible beneficiaries are enrolled.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency said the screening would help identify moderately malnourished children and nutritionally vulnerable women who require assistance under the programme.
According to the agency, the Anambra launch represents the sixth zonal rollout of the programme and brings the nationwide zonal launch phase to a conclusion.
The implementation is expected to extend to communities across all 774 local government areas in the country.
Tinubu’s visit to Anambra was, however, not limited to the launch of the food bank.
The First Lady also commissioned an Information and Communications Technology Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko.
The facility is expected to provide students and young people in Anambra and other parts of the South-East with access to digital skills and training.
Areas of training linked to the centre include software development, data analysis, digital marketing and remote-work skills.
The project is aimed at improving access to opportunities in the digital economy at a time when technology is becoming increasingly important in employment and entrepreneurship.
Tinubu’s visit also featured the flag-off of a large-scale empowerment programme led by the Anambra State First Lady, Mrs Nonye Soludo.
The programme is expected to benefit 5,000 people across the 21 local government areas of Anambra State.
Beneficiaries are to receive different forms of economic support, including business grants, vocational tools and equipment. Agriculture and agro-processing, beauty care and small-scale enterprises are among the areas covered by the intervention.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his wife, Dr Nonye Soludo, received the First Lady during the visit.
The activities brought together government officials, political leaders, community representatives and other stakeholders as the Federal and Anambra governments highlighted their partnership in addressing social and economic challenges.
The Anambra State Government had earlier described Tinubu’s visit as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation with the Federal Government in the areas of food security, poverty reduction, youth development and economic empowerment.
The state government also linked the food bank programme to its own efforts to improve the welfare of vulnerable residents and expand opportunities for young people.
In a related development, Tinubu had in August launched the South-West zonal food bank programme in Ogun State.
At the event, she urged state governments in the region to take ownership of the initiative and ensure that food banks are positioned close to primary healthcare facilities.
