In Akwa Ibom State, it is celebration time as the state government brings succour to some of the indigent people with the distribution of various food items to over 155,000 indigent persons drawn from the 31 local government areas of the state.

The food items distribution programme, which commenced on September 16 across all the LGAs will span November 11. It is designed to cushion the harsh prevailing economic situation in the country.

Promise

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno had during his inauguration on May 29, 2023 assured the people that his administration will show compassion to the vulnerable persons throughout the nook and crannies of the state.

To match his words with action, thousands of vulnerable persons have gotten compassionate homes beautifully built, furnished and even seed funds to start a new business to improve their wellbeing.

The state governor also at the height of the economic challenges facing the country pledged to the indigent citizens of the state that his administration would look after their welfare.

To this end, he founded the State Bulk Purchase Agency, with the mandate to source, buy and share staple food items like garri, rice and beans freely to the vulnerable persons throughout the state.

Officials speak

Kick-starting the second phase of the palliative distribution to thousands of vulnerable persons in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area headquarters, recently, where over 5, 000 vulnerable persons got rice, beans and garri to cushion the effects of the prevailing economic situation in the country, the General Manager of the State Bulk Purchase Agency, Uyime Etim explained that the Agency relied on the World Bank endorsed social register for the vulnerable to choose the beneficiaries.

According to him: “The governor’s personal assistants in the council and wards were directed to issue vouchers to only those in the register and all they do is to come here, authenticate their vouchers and return home with the food stuff. “What we are doing is to cushion the effects of the harsh economy on the people, it’s a temporary measure but the governor has encouraged the people to return fully to agriculture and farming for a lasting solution to the challenges of hunger and poverty.”

Also speaking, a former member of the House of Representatives and Media Consultant to the Governor, Aniekan Umana, said the palliative distribution is timely, owing to the prevailing economic situation in the country. He commended the governor for his humane disposition towards the needy. Umana highlighted that the foodstuffs were meant for Akwa Ibom people devoid of political inclination and strictly for those who are truly vulnerable.

He added: “You can see the excitement in the faces of the people, both the aged and the young people. The beauty of the event is that beneficiaries cut across party lines. I have seen people from other political inclinations here and we are very meticulous on ensuring that the real beneficiaries only have the foodstuffs.

“The governor is aware that hunger is no respecter of persons or political inclinations thus the welfare of Akwa Ibom people remains topmost in his heart and this event will continue throughout the 31 local government areas of the state until November 11, 2024.”

Another member representing Ibesikpo Asutan State Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Ubong Obot, and the Transition Committee Chairman of the council, Mrs Akon Michael Asuquo, both expressed gratitude to the governor for benevolence to the less privileged persons and his love for Ibesikpo Asutan people.

“The governor has been very helpful, kind and generous to our people and we will gladly vote for him again in the next election. Ibesikpo Asutan people are indebted to the governor for all the projects he has executed here in just over one year,” they said.

Some of the beneficiaries in Ibesikpo Asutan said the governor’s gesture has rekindled their belief that the governor is truly a compassionate father to all and a true man of God. A 72-year-old recipient, Mr Ekemini Udoh, said the governor has given him another reason to smile: “When I go to market, I return home heartbroken because of the high cost of items, what I have gotten today will help me a lot.”

Farming

In Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, Eno expressed concern over the prevailing socio-economic challenges facing the country, as he urged every Akwa Ibomite, especially the vulnerable persons, to combine aggressive farming with government palliatives to assuage the problem.

Represented by the Commissioner for Science and Digital Economy, Prof. Imoh Moffat, during the disbursement of food palliatives, the governor said: “There is no way the government can address the hunger challenge with food palliatives, it’s unrealistic.

So, the best way is for everyone to embrace farming.” He assured the people of his administration’s commitment to agriculture under the ARISE Agenda blueprint, as free agricultural inputs, including fertilizers, improved seedlings and other interventions, have been put in place for agricultural acceleration, towards permanent solution to the food crises.

The Executive Chairman of the Bulk Purchase Agency (BPA), Dr Daniel Akpan, who was a former House of Representatives member, said the truck load of foodstuffs was a deliberate follow up arrangement of the state government to cushion the harsh living conditions of the people.

He commended the governor for his commitment to the people’s welfare in these trying times, noting that his compassionate disposition was dispassionate and non -political as the beneficiaries were drawn across the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition party lines.

Speaking at the event, the Transition Committee Chairman of Etim Ekpo, Mr Ekpuk Eshiet, described the governor’s leadership as sensitive and responsive to the needs of the people. He highlighted the programme’s scope, stating that 5,000 vulnerable individuals across 11 wards, 76 villages, and 111 units have received essential foodstuffs such as rice, beans and garri.

Ikot Ese community

Eshiet also commended the peaceful disposition of the people of his area, insisting that they were all happy that Eno was interested in their wellbeing. While some of the beneficiaries, including Mr Nse Udo, a stroke victim from Ikot Ese village; Nene Effiong; and Ifiok Ekanem; commended the governor for what they described as, “timely response to the yearnings and aspirations of the poor households in Etim Ekpo LGA.

Nse said: “I want to sincerely thank the governor for his father gesture and keeping to his promise to always be on the side of the people as promised during his pre-election campaigns.’’ Comrade Saviour Godwin, Youth President of Otu Ikot Onko, also commended Eno’s leadership and provision of healthcare and food.

Agric extension officers

Determined to ensure the successful implementation of the A-R-I-S-E Agenda of the governor in agriculture, the Transition Chairman of Nsit Atai LGA, Emem Ibanga, said the council is mobilising Agric Extension Officers into villages to enlightening the people on need to go back to the farm.

Ibanga, who made the remarks during the distribution of free foodstuffs to vulnerable households at Odot, the headquarters of his LGA, expressed appreciation to the governor for extending his benevolence to the vulnerable people in his LGA.

She advised over 5, 000 persons who trooped out to collect various food items, such as rice, garri and beans to think outside the box and focus on farm work as a permanent solution to the situation. According to her: “We have 51 gazetted villages in Nsit Atai LGA, if the people can take agriculture as a major occupation then hunger would be chased out from our land.”

Appreciation

The immediate past Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Felicia Bassey, expressed appreciation on behalf of the people of Okobo LGA to Eno for giving out free food to over 5, 000 households in the community.

“I feel excited with what I am witnessing in Okobo today, I am here to witness this intervention, and I am happy that we have a ‘promise and keep’ governor in Akwa Ibom State in the person of Pastor Umo Eno,” Bassey said. Speaking earlier the Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Bulk Purchase Agency, Akpan assured of continued transparency in the second phase of the distribution to indigent and vulnerable households across the 31 local government areas of the state.

Akpan noted that the voucher system was adopted to ensure transparency, and accountability in the state government intervention.

He stated that he was impressed that so far the distribution process has been very smooth, orderly, transparent and accountable, which he attributed to the introduced vouchers. While the General Manager of the agency, Mr Unyime Etim explained that only those in the social register whose vouchers were scanned by the Personal Assistants (PAs) appointed by the governor per each ward were qualified to receive the foodstuffs.

“We always make sure that all the 5, 000 beneficiaries in every local government receive the food items, namely; garri, beans and rice. We will only leave when we must have shared with everyone,” Etim disclosed. On his part, Okobo LGA Transition Committee Chairman, Mr Anthony Antigha, said he must indebted to the governor for the initiative of supporting the economically challenged with basic food commodities now that Nigeria is facing a serious food crisis.