First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Launches Food Relief Programme For Vulnerable Groups In Abia State
...also grants to strengthen their small businesses
The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has extended her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Social Investment Food Outreach Programme to Abia State, bringing much-needed relief to vulnerable populations.
At a well-attended event held at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia, Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, expressed deep appreciation to the First Lady for her compassion towards the suffering masses amidst ongoing economic hardship.
“Senator Tinubu has demonstrated that the grassroots population, whose votes uphold democracy, are not forgotten. Today’s outreach affirms that the poor and vulnerable have a dependable ally in the First Lady,” Governor Otti remarked.
He stressed the importance of a broad-based economic development strategy to combat poverty and recommended the establishment of a localized tracking system to monitor progress and ensure accountability. Dr. Otti also highlighted his administration’s proactive step of creating the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection to directly address these challenges.
Representing the First Lady at the event, Hajia Nana Shettima, wife of the Vice President, explained that the programme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and aims to improve living conditions across Nigeria. She noted that the food outreach, which began on March 8, 2024, has reached 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory, supported by donations from the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative and another anonymous benefactor.
She urged beneficiaries not to sell the food items, emphasizing that they are intended to support their families. In addition to food relief, Mrs. Shettima highlighted other RHI programmes across environmental, educational, and socio-economic sectors. She announced that 250 people with disabilities in each of the 36 states and the FCT will receive grants of ₦200,000 each to strengthen their small businesses.
In her welcome address, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, wife of the Abia State Governor and RHI State Coordinator, praised the First Lady’s enduring commitment to supporting the underprivileged. She disclosed that the Abia State Government has supplemented the outreach with an additional 3,000 bags of 10kg rice to expand the reach of the initiative.
Mrs. Otti emphasized the ongoing impact of RHI in Abia, noting interventions in education, empowerment, health, and nutrition. “We are proud to be part of this partnership, and we remain committed to ensuring that no home in Abia, and indeed Nigeria, suffers from hunger,” she said.
Grateful beneficiaries such as Orasi Eze and Uzoma Ezebiiro expressed heartfelt thanks, pledging to use the food items to care for their families and praying for divine blessings on the First Lady and her team.
The RHI representative was warmly received at Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport by Mrs. Priscilla Otti and wives of other Southeast Governors. The delegation also included the wives of the Ogun State Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Minister of Works, alongside Abia State officials.
