The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), yesterday, began distribution of 25,000 bags of 10kg rice palliative in Kwara State.
The body said it shared one million bags across the federation as part of the philanthropic gesture of the founder, Alhaji Aliyu Aliko Dangote.
Speaking at the flag-off held in Ilorin, Team Lead and General Manager, Human Resources, Dangote Cement, Alhaji Ahmed Gobir, stated that the foundation had last year partnered some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to distribute the palliatives, while this year, it partnered state governments for the distribution.
He said the product was to be distributed across the 16 council areas of the state to the less privileged.
Gobir lauded Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his investment in infrastructure development, expressing hope that the palliative would complement the government’s efforts at improving the lives of the less privileged.
Represented by his deputy, Kayode Alabi, the governor hailed the foundation for what he described as an “act of compassion.
IN Niger State, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has decried criminal impact of poverty and hunger on several families, stating that it is a menace that should be urgently tackled.
He made the observation during the distribution of rice by the foundation as a National Food Intervention Programme for vulnerable people in Minna.
Represented by his deputy, Yakubu Garba, the governor noted that poverty and hunger were multidimensional and a challenge that pierces through the fabric of the society.
Bago highlighted the efforts of the state government in achieving its desire of feeding the nation and ameliorating the sufferings of the people through various interventions like the subsidy on grains for Ramadan fast, among others.
He described the private sector as a critical player in overcoming hardship in the society.
The governor appreciated the foundation for the gesture and assured that the government was working tirelessly to eliminate poverty and hunger while calling on other well-to-do individuals and groups to emulate, stating that the task was a collective one.
Earlier, Group General Manager of Dangote Industries Ltd, Abuja Office, Alhaji Ahmed Hashim, explained that the programme was kick-started in Kano State, stating one million bags of 10kg rice would be distributed to vulnerable persons in all of the nation’s 774 council areas.
He said Niger received about 30,000 bags of 10kg bags of the product, and the foundation was using stakeholders to distribute the items to targeted beneficiaries across the states.
