Food items worth millions of naira have been distributed to vulnerable groups in Sokoto State under the Renewed Hope Initiative Food Outreach Scheme. The programme, spearheaded by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is aimed at reducing hunger and hardship among low-income families and persons with disabilities.
During a symbolic presentation in Sokoto on Thursday, Mrs Tinubu, who was represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, said the outreach is part of ongoing efforts to reach vulnerable communities across the country. She praised donors for sustaining the monthly programme, which delivers two truckloads of food supplies to different states.
“This initiative has eased hardship for thousands of families nationwide. So far, we have reached 17 states, and the progress has been tremendous,” she said. “Bayelsa will be the next beneficiary of this initiative in the coming weeks.”
She listed the states that have already benefitted, including Abia, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Oyo, and Plateau. According to her, the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative is a major partner in the programme, while another donor has chosen to remain anonymous but continues to contribute consistently every month.
Mrs Tinubu announced plans to roll out more empowerment projects before the end of the year under the Renewed Hope Initiative, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for poverty reduction and social support. She explained that the Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme has so far provided N50,000 each to 500 women in every state, in partnership with the Elumelu Foundation.
She further revealed that a new project, Flow With Confidence, will be launched on October 2. The initiative will distribute sanitary pads to 370,000 schoolgirls across the country to help them stay in school during menstruation.
The Wife of the Sokoto State Governor, Dr Fatima Aliyu, described the programme as a timely and much-needed intervention. She announced that Sokoto State complemented the food outreach with its own contributions, which included 1,500 bags of millet, 1,500 bags of maize, 1,200 bags of rice, and cash support of N10,000 each to 3,000 beneficiaries.
Dr Aliyu also highlighted additional support programmes, such as recapitalisation for 1,500 women traders, assistance to 500 elderly citizens, and empowerment packages of N500,000 each for 20 female farmers. She mentioned other interventions in education, including the distribution of 50,000 exercise books, scholarships, and ICT training opportunities for girls and women in the state.
“These interventions have brought meaningful relief to many households in Sokoto. We remain deeply grateful to our dear mother, the First Lady of Nigeria,” she said.
Mr Ubon Udoh, Managing Director of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative for Africa, praised the outreach for its direct and impactful support. He commended Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group, for consistently committing 100 million dollars annually since 2021 to health, education, and development projects across the country.