Federal Government has commenced the distribution of assorted food commodities to vulnerable people in Taraba State.
The event which took place in Jalingo, the state capital was flagged-off by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Represented by the Minister for Transportation, Alhaji Muhammed Sambo Jaji, Buhari noted that the prices of food commodities had skyrocketed
in recent times, hence the Emergency Release of Assorted Food Commodities to the vulnerable people in the state
The President explained that the trend was a global challenge and Nigeria was not an exception to the phenomenon.
According to him, this initiative is to impact Nigerians across the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT.
President Buhari also informed that the program was part of the Federal Government’s efforts at ensuring food
security and poverty alleviation, as well as cushioning the effects of rising prices of food items.
He further revealed that the well-being of Nigerians had always been and would continue to be his priority.
The President, however, warned that the commodities were being approved for distribution free-of-charge and
therefore it was a criminal offense to sell them, bearing in mind Mr. President’s
the goal of uplifting the life of the common man.
“The World Bank’s food commodity price index shows that between March and
April 2022, the price of food commodities globally went up by 15% over the previous two months and more than 80% higher than two years ago.
” The factors responsible include but are not limited to: climate change, the effect of the covid-19 pandemic, civil unrest, recurrent farmer-herders crises, mass rural-urban migration, declining food production, and strain on the demand-supply chain.
“In the light of the foregoing and in tandem with one of the Nine-point agendas of this administration which is social inclusion, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the emergency release of assorted food commodities from the National Strategic Reserve Stock.
“This is to be distributed to the displaced and the vulnerable in our society, poultry
associations of Nigeria and feed millers.
Meanwhile, the Minister, Alhaji Sambo Jaji inaugurated a six-man Committee for the distribution of the items to the targeted beneficiaries.
Earlier, Governor Darius Ishaku commended President Buhari for the elevation of Sambo from a junior minister to a substantive minister.
Ishaku, who was represented by the Secretary to the Taraba State Government, Mr. Anthony Jellason also commended the president for the release of assorted food commodities to the vulnerable in the state.
He said that the gesture would go a long way in cushioning the effect of food shortage and the cost of food in the market.
In his goodwill message, the Emire of Muri, HRH. Alhaji Abbas Njidda Tafida advised the people of Taraba state to invest more in farming.
Tafida noted that a productive economy was better than a consuming economy, adding that Taraba people had no business complaining of hunger and poverty.
The paramount ruler thanked President Muhammed Buhari for promoting the son of the soil to a big ministry.
He, therefore, gave assurance that the minister would not fail the president for his kind gesture to the people of the state.
Sani Sulaiman
