The First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday launched the South-West Zonal National Community Food Bank in Ogun State, urging state governments across the region to replicate the initiative to strengthen the fight against food insecurity and malnutrition.
Speaking at the launch held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, Mrs Tinubu said the programme was designed to ensure that vulnerable Nigerians, particularly children and pregnant and lactating women, have sustained access to nutritious food.
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She called on governors in the South-West to establish community food banks in their respective states in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), stressing that such collaboration would facilitate the supply of food items and provide the operational support needed to sustain the initiative.
The First Lady described the National Community Food Bank Programme as a deliberate and sustainable response to food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable households, noting that it specifically targets children under six years of age, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
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She expressed optimism that the programme would be sustained, saying its ultimate objective was to ensure that every Nigerian child is adequately nourished and given a healthy foundation for the future.
According to her, the initiative is consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, particularly its commitment to food security, improved healthcare, social protection and human capital development.
Mrs Tinubu commended Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for his commitment to the welfare and development of the people, citing the newly commissioned Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence and the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate as examples of projects that directly impact citizens’ lives.
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She also clarified the distinction between a food bank and a food hub, explaining that the food bank is specifically designed to serve disadvantaged and vulnerable persons, with services provided free of charge.
She stressed that state governments were expected to take ownership of the facilities, adding that the Federal Government’s vision extended beyond the establishment of the initial food banks.
The First Lady further advocated locating food banks close to Primary Healthcare Centres to make them easily accessible to vulnerable families.
In his remarks, the chief host, Governor Dapo Abiodun, said the programme demonstrated the shared vision and common purpose of the Federal Government and Ogun State in building a more prosperous and inclusive Nigeria.
He said the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate and the Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence were in keeping with the Renewed Hope Agenda, which, he noted, was not merely about formulating policies but translating government intentions into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens through housing, healthcare, nutrition, social protection and human capital development.
Governor Abiodun said the philosophy underpinning his administration’s Building Our Future Together agenda was founded on the belief that government must create an environment where citizens can live with dignity, access essential services, pursue legitimate aspirations and face the future with confidence.
He maintained that development loses its moral value when economic growth rises while the basic needs of the people remain unmet.
According to him, the true measure of government is not only the number of projects commissioned but the number of lives positively transformed by such projects.
“The hospitals become useful when they save lives; the houses fulfil their purpose when they shelter families,” he said.
Governor Abiodun also said locating food banks within Primary Healthcare Centres would enable government to identify vulnerable households more effectively, support children at risk of malnutrition, assist pregnant women and nursing mothers, and ensure that interventions reached those who needed them most.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said the National Community Food Bank Programme would not only provide food to vulnerable Nigerians but also create a sustainable link between farmers and consumers.
He said the initiative reflected the commitment of the Tinubu administration to tackling food insecurity while protecting the dignity of vulnerable families.
Mr Kyari noted that food security was no longer being treated as a sectoral issue under the present administration, recalling that President Tinubu had declared a state of emergency on food security and placed the issue at the centre of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He explained that the significance of the Community Food Bank Programme went beyond food distribution, as the initiative was also designed to strengthen agricultural production through structured procurement and distribution.
“A food bank that hands out food solves a meal. A food bank tied to a farm solves a season,” he said.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, described the National Community Food Bank Programme as a critical platform for addressing health challenges associated with food insecurity and ensuring that no child or woman goes without food.
He commended the Federal Government for establishing the programme and urged governors across the South-West to key into and scale up the initiative to achieve its objectives.
In a technical presentation, the Executive Secretary of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Muyi Aina, said the agency would collaborate with relevant stakeholders to strengthen food production and ensure the availability of nutritious food for Nigerians.
Dr Aina said the programme targets pregnant women and children from six months to six years of age and would be domiciled within the country’s 13,500 Primary Healthcare Centres.
Also speaking, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Michael Aremu Gbadebo, said the initiative had the potential to provide significant succour to vulnerable members of society.
He commended the First Lady for ensuring that Ogun State benefited from the programme.
The First Lady’s visit also featured the commissioning of the National Community Food Bank at Makun, Sagamu, the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate and the Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence, all in Ogun State.
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