The Aliko Dangote Foundation, on Wednesday, delivered 30,000 bags of 10kg rice to the Oyo State Government, restating its commitment to empowering Nigerians through education, nutritional and economic support.
The Foundation, which delivered the food relief packages to the Oyo State Government at the Local Government Training School, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, said the initiative was to complement the effort of the state.
Head of Operations, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Lagos, Mr Edero Victor Ejiro, who spoke at the flag off of the distribution of the 30,000 bags of rice by the Oyo State Government, noted that the initiative started in 2024 and that it will see the Dangote Foundation distribute one million bags of 10kg rice to the vulnerable, widows, underprivileged and people going through hardship across the country.
He added that it was part of the vision of the chairman of the Dangote Group, to bring succour to the needy and underprivileged in the society amid tge growing economic hardship,
According to the Head of Operations, the Foundation, which has been in existence for about 30 years, has its focus on three key areas, namely; empowerment, nutrition education.
He said: “I am here to present 30,000 bags of 10kg rice to Oyo State.
“Our chairman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, came up with this initiative last year, that we should distribute one million bags across the nation. We did it last year and we are also doing it now.
“So, I am here to deliver the package to Oyo State. I want to also state categorically that the Foundation has been in existence for over 30 years and we are grounded in three key areas including empowerment, nutrition and education.
“We are here to help on the nutritional aspect and that of the economic empowerment aspect, because we know that the country is bedevilled with hardship and the governors of various states, especially in Oyo State, are coming up with various initiatives to combat hunger and other crises.
“So, this one is just a kind of complementary effort to what the governor of the state is doing for the needy and the vulnerable in society.
“We are very sure that the committee in place meant to handle the distribution would do a thorough job to make sure this rice gets to the vulnerable and our target audience.
“So far, we are impressed with what we have seen and we know they will do a good job to ensure everything goes round.”
Speaking shortly after taking delivery of the food relief package, Oyo State’s Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Musibau Babatunde, who also doubles as the Secretary of the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER), a body put in place by the state to drive relief support for residents facing economic hardship, hailed the Dangote Foundation for the initiative.
He, alongside other government officials, also kick-started the distribution of the bags of rice, assuring that beneficiaries would be drawn from all 33 Local Government Areas of the state.
A few of the beneficiaries, including Mrs Omotayo Borode and Alhaji Tajudeen Olapade, lauded the Aliko Dangote Foundation for bringing succour to the people at this critical time.
