From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The Osun State Government has distributed the 9th edition of its food support schema to another 30,000 households making 270,000 households that jar benefited from the scheme.
Governor Adegboyega Oyetola explained on Wednesday that the local rice distributed was a result of his administration’s resolve to encourage farmers and boost local production of rice in the state.
Speaking at the Local Government Service Commission, Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, the governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, stated that the initiative was to further actualise his plans to genuinely diversify the economy by unravelling the potential embedded in the critical sectors such as agriculture, mining and tourism.
The governor reiterated his commitment towards sustaining the programme, vowing that no amount of downturn in the economy would prevent the programme from going on monthly as designed.
He disclosed that another empowerment plan had reached the final stage to ensure that widows, aged and other vulnerable citizens who were not captured in the food support scheme are properly taken care of.
‘You will recall that nine months ago, our government did promise that on a monthly basis, 30,000 households will be fed and this is the ninth edition making 270,000 households that had benefited from the Scheme. And when we talk of a household, it is not an individual that makes up a household, essentially, the husband, wife, children and dependents.
‘So, when we look at the numbers of the beneficiaries, one would not but agree that thousand of residents of the state had benefitted so far.
‘This is an achievement of the wishes and aspirations of Mr Governor to ensure that the common man also benefits from his lofty people-centred programmes designed to cater for their welfare and well-being.
‘There is a strategy already put in place to ensure that all the food items get to the beneficiaries across the 30 Local Government Areas of the state and this will be done before the end of this week,’ he added.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Engr Olalekan Badmus, said the government’s resolve to promote local content had begun to yield positive results as evidenced in the successful move to source Ofada rice locally.