Cross River State Government, weekend distributed over five thousand tubers of yam to poor households spread across the five Local Government Areas in the Northern senatorial District of the state.
The gesture which came through the food Bank commission, an initiative of Prof. Ben Ayade’s administration in the state, was appreciated by the beneficiaries especially as the yams were bought from farmers who participated in the just concluded maidden Northfest, held in OGOJA.
Handing over the yams to the General Managers of the various local Government Areas, food commission to distribute same to the households, Managing Director of the commission, Dr Mercy Akpama, disclosed that the gesture was to encourage farmers to do more in the next farming season, boost their financial base as well as tremendously impact on the lives of the less privileged.
Akpama enjoined the General Managers to ensure that the products get to the earmarked core households, in a bid to not only put food on their tables but to reduce to the barest minimum the rate of hunger in poor families.
She intimated that the exercise which will cover the three senatorial District of the state is done in phases beginning from the North to the central and southern respectively, adding that, hunger challenges faced by widows, widowers and physically challenged will soon be a thing of the past.
Akpama maintained that Ayade has not only kept his campaign vow to radicate hunger but has also followed the Biblical injunction where the poor and needy must be cared for.
General Managers food Bank commission in Bekwarra, Prince Abel Adiya, as well as that of Yala, Barr. Dennis Ochim lauded the Governor for providing succor to these defenceless people, pointing out that the items will be distributed judiciously and as already planned.
Director of Account, Bekwarra food Bank Commission , Lady Cecilia Okuta could not hide her joy as these indigent families were remembered inspite of the dwindling resources in the state.
Okuta, enjoined Cross Riverans to continue to rally round the Governor as he carry out his lofty programmes and policies which are aimed at transforming the lives of the citizenry.
According to her, such intervention had never occurred in the past, making Ayade the first to think of what she termed as “stomach infrastructure ” for the down trodden.
