The Akwa Ibom State Government has commenced the third phase of its free food distribution exercise to provide relief to residents struggling with the rising cost of goods during this period.
The initiative, which falls under the state’s Food Security Programme, is aimed at cushioning the impact of the prevailing economic hardship on the poorest and most vulnerable citizens.
The exercise took place at Ewang community in Mbo Local Government Area, where thousands of vulnerable residents from the 11 wards of the council gathered to receive the palliative.
Speaking during the event, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Emem Ibanga, who led the team, reiterated that the exercise was an emergency intervention designed for the short term.
Ibanga urged citizens to return to farming and embrace agriculture as a sustainable solution to food insecurity.
“This palliative effort is to provide temporary relief to our vulnerable population; however, the long-term goal remains food self-sufficiency through active participation in agriculture,” she said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Mbo LGA, Sunday Etim, thanked Governor Umo Eno for his “timely and thoughtful gesture” in supporting the vulnerable.
He assured the governor of continued support from the people of Mbo, noting that the intervention would go a long way in alleviating hunger among low-income families in the area.
Several beneficiaries who spoke with journalists expressed gratitude to Governor Eno, describing the initiative as “life-saving and uplifting.”
“This is the first time in a long while that we are seeing a government that remembers the people in rural communities,” one beneficiary said. “We are grateful to the governor for remembering us in Mbo.”
