…As indigent families receive free food items

By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

The people of Nsit Atai local government area of Akwa Ibom State have expressed their readiness to key into the Back -to-farm initiative of governor Umo Eno which was conceived to boost food availability and reduce hunger in the state.

  Some community leaders of the local government area, spoke on Thursday at local government Council headquarters Odot,

during the distribution of free food items namely Rice, Beans and garri to indigent and vulnerable indigenes badly affected by the prevailing hardship and hunger in the country.

 Supervising the free food distribution, the Transition Committee Chairman of Nsit Atai LG Council, Emem Ibanga explained that effort has been put in place to sensitize the people of the area on the need to return to farm.

  Ibanga appreciated governor Umo Eno for providing food palliatives to the underprivileged citizens across the state to reduce their sufferings.

   Her words, “We are engaging the services of Agricultural Extension Officers to create more awareness in our villages on the back- to-farm initiative of the governor, to enlighten and help return our people to the farm so that there will be enough food for all.

 .”The  A-R-I-S-E Agenda of the current administration of governor Umo Eno shows that  Agriculture is a focal point. And here in Nsit Atai, we are keying into the agenda by making Agriculture a priority too.  We must embrace farming.

“We believe that when the people return to farming, we will overcome the food crisis in the country: when people take Agriculture as a major occupation, hunger will surely be reduced in our land.

“We have 51 gazetted villages in Nsit Atai local government area and we have fertile land. The local government has 85 acres of land for Agriculture. As a council chairman, I have my farms and I go to farm”

In his remarks, the General Manager of the  state Bulk Purchase Agency,  Mr Unyime Etim noted that no fewer than 5000 beneficiaries were selected indigent and vulnerable families were selected from the 51 gazetted villages.

 He particularly commended the beneficiaries for their cooperation towards the smooth distribution process, stressing, “You can see that the process is very smooth. Our target is 5000 poor and vulnerable persons in every local government area”

  While responding to a question on complaints by some persons that they were not attended to, Etim explained that only those whose names appeared in the state’s social register were supposed to benefit from the free food Palliatives.

” Government will consider them in another batch. And this is  a warning to those who refused to show up to be captured in the social register. Next time when the governor announced for registration, they will come out”,  Etim asserted.

One of the beneficiaries Margret Otu while responding said;  “Please thank governor Umo Eno for me. This time, the quantity of rice is better than before. It will help the family while we pray that the economy should improve . I am happy.”

Similarly, another beneficiary who identified himself as Mr Ubong Etim prayed, “My God will bless pastor Umo Eno. See how he thinks about me in difficult times like this. Where would would I have got N600 to buy a cup of rice in the market?”.