Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti
John Kayode Fayemi Centre (JKFC) has promised to distribute varieties of food items to nursing mothers and children as its contributions to cushion the effects of the economic crunch that pervades the state.
The organisation is a pet project of the immediate past governor of
Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
Speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, the Director of the JKF Centre, Mr. Biodun Omoleye, explained that the items will be donated as a stop-gap measure to cushion the effects of food crisis arising from the non-payment of salaries in the last six months.
“The food items, which were targeted mainly at nursing mothers and children who are the worst hit by the current economic crunch, are to mitigate the effects of the crushing hunger in the state.
“It is also an extension of the JKF Food Bank Scheme while he was
Governor of the state, whereby raw and cooked food items were
distributed to the old, weak and vulnerable in the society.”
Omoleye added that the organisation read in newspapers the disturbing news of how otherwise decent house wives and nursing mothers were stealing foodstuffs and soup while babies and children are subjected to agonizing conditions ever witnessed since the creation of the state.
“This embarrassing situation must not be allowed to continue and this is why the JKF centre on humanitarian grounds, decided to intervene by donating food items required by these children and nursing mothers to alleviate their suffering.”
The food items which include beverages, noodles, spaghetti, cereals, salt, semovita and wheat among others, are to be distributed to these vulnerable people through organised forum like churches, mosques and other centres identified by the JKF centre.
Stressing the importance of agriculture as a sure bet to fighting poverty and boosting food production, Omoleye said: “The JKF Centre enjoins Ekiti people to take advantage of their good soil texture, favourable climate and availability of vast arable land to take farming as extra vocation to mitigate against food shortage in times of food crisis as presently being experienced.”
The JKF Centre also enjoined well meaning people in the society to
intervene to save lives of our future leaders as nothing is too small in this direction. It appreciated the humanitarian gesture by some groups and churches, which recently distributed food items to the
unpaid workers and many vulnerable Ekiti people.
He added that the food items shall be distributed on Monday, July 11, 2016 at the JKF situation office located along Ajilosun street, Ado-Ekiti, saying beneficiaries have been contacted to collect their
shares while some will be taken to beneficiaries outside the state capital.
