*Beneficiaries laud initiative

The governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has flagged off the state’s Sustainable Food Distribution Programme, an intervention aimed at providing locally produced food items to vulnerable households for 12 consecutive months.

Performing the flag-off at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, on Tuesday, Governor Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the programme, one of the bold initiatives of the Enugu State Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Office, would start with 500 households, which will be expanded to fight hunger and improve nutrition among the poor in the state.

He, however, said his administration was aware that sustainable food security could not be achieved through seasonal interventions, hence the government’s long-term systems through huge investments in agriculture, empowering small-scale farmers through training, provision of agro-inputs, agricultural grants, and investing in systems that mitigate the effects of climate change.

He added that food insecurity was one of the most stubborn contemporary challenges, which affected over 735 million people worldwide in 2020, according to the United Nations.

“But as a responsible and responsive government, we believe that no citizen of the state should go to bed hungry. This is not just a political obligation; it is a moral one.

“So, the Sustainable Food Distribution Programme is more than just a palliative measure. It is a structured, strategic, and sustainable response to food insecurity,” he said.

“We are empowering rural farmers and food producers by integrating them into our supply chain, partnering with communities, community leaders, clergy, civil society organisations, and private sector actors to ensure transparency, equity, and efficiency in distribution; and most importantly, we are aligning this intervention with the SDGs, specifically Goal 2, which speaks to zero hunger; Goal 1, which speaks to no poverty; Goal 10, to reduced inequality; and finally Goal 17, which talks about partnership for these goals,” he explained.

He commended the Enugu State SDGs Office, led by the SDG Focal Person and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on SDGs, Engr. Onyinye Akubuilo-Okpalanma; private sector partners, Sapphire Ceramics Nigeria Limited, Jenew Homes Nig. Ltd., Enugu East LG Council, among others, for making the event a reality.

In her address, Engr. Akubuilo-Okpalanma said the food distribution programme was “deeply symbolic of the collective commitment to ending hunger, promoting inclusive wellbeing, and improving nutrition among our vulnerable.”

She thanked Governor Mbah for his support for the SDGs in policy and in practice.

Highlights of the event were the distribution of rice, beans, potatoes, groundnut oil, salt, soap, and other condiments to the beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries, who received the items, prayed that God would continue to guide the Governor to realise his vision of eradicating poverty and hunger from the state in eight years.

A beneficiary, Mrs. Ngozi Uzo, said, “It is only somebody who goes to the market to buy food that will understand what the Governor has done for us. And we will be coming every month to collect free food items for another 11 months. It is not a small thing that he has done for us. I am happy, and God will bless him and the people that organised it.”

Another beneficiary, Mrs. Cordelia Chidiobe, thanked Governor Mbah for his good work in Enugu State, praying God to “bless him and give him more wisdom to continue doing good for us in Enugu State.”

Mrs. Susan Ezeh also thanked Governor Mbah and prayed that God would help him to do more good works in the state.

Goodwill messages were presented by several dignitaries, including the Chairman of Enugu East LGA, Hon. Beloved Anike, represented by Dr. Mrs. Happiness Obi-Anike; the Commissioner for Human Development and Poverty Eradication; Prof Benedett Ekwutosi Okoli (represented), and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who was represented by Dr. Mrs. Ify Nnamchi-Ukaegbu.

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