The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, says the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Food Outreach Scheme, under its Social Investment Programme, has reached 29 states, with Bauchi as the latest beneficiary.
Tinubu said this on Saturday during the donation of food items to vulnerable groups in Bauchi.
The First Lady, represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, said the scheme was introduced in March 2024 to support persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
She said two donors had committed to supplying two truckloads of food items monthly, enabling the initiative to support two states every month.
“The donors are the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) and another donor who wishes to remain anonymous.
“This latest donation brings Bauchi into the scheme, while Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom will be the next beneficiaries of this growing initiative”.
Tinubu said the RHI had also launched the National Community Food Bank Programme to improve access to nutritious food, combat child malnutrition and support healthy child development.
“As part of our broadening efforts to address food insecurity and malnutrition, we have launched a National Community Food Bank Programme”.
Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State commended the First Lady for extending the RHI Food Outreach Scheme to vulnerable residents of the state.
Mohammed, represented by his deputy, Alhaji Mohammed Jatau, described the intervention as timely, considering the prevailing economic challenges.
He said the food assistance would provide relief to households struggling to meet their basic needs.
“We are going through difficult times, and we do not take this gesture for granted.
“We are in times that require deliberate, collective and immediate interventions,” Jatau said.
He described relief materials as a lifeline for vulnerable households, stressing that hungry populations could not effectively contribute to economic growth and development.
“We have consistently and persistently recognised that hungry populations cannot drive economic growth”.
Jatau assured that the state government would collaborate with the managers of the RHI to ensure transparent and equitable distribution of the items.
“We will ensure that the items reach the exact hands for which they were intended”.
Also speaking, the Wife of the Bauchi State Governor, Amb. Dr Aisha Mohammed, said vulnerable beneficiaries would receive cash assistance alongside the food items to cushion economic hardship and support household welfare.
Mohammed said N100,000 would be given to school children, N150,000 to Christian children, N80,000 to orphanage-home beneficiaries and N120,000 to persons with special needs.
She added that Almajirai would receive N150,000, while children in remand homes would receive N50,000.
According to her, an additional N50,000 would be provided to each local government area to support transportation.
“The provision of food items and financial support to vulnerable groups is a timely and meaningful intervention,” Mohammed said.
She said the intervention demonstrated commitment to ensuring that vulnerable groups, particularly women, children and persons with special needs, were not left behind.
Mohammad urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the food items and financial assistance.
She assured that the Bauchi State Government would continue to support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of vulnerable residents.
