Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has commenced the Food for Peace Programme, a key component of his Peace in the South East Project (PISE-P).
A press release from the office of the Deputy Speaker, signed by his Chief press secretary, Livinus Nwabughiogu, said that the programme kick-started on the night of Sunday January 7, 2024 at Bende, Abia State.
At the event tagged: “A Hungry Man Is An Angry Man”, large quantities of various food items were distributed to all the 17 Local Governments in Abia, he said.
The food items include over 6,000 bags of rice, 150 bags of beans, 80 bags of garri, 3,000 cartons of spaghetti,100 cartoons of vegetable oil.
In addition, the deputy speaker distributed empowerment materials such as motorcycles, deep freezers, sewing and grinding machines, big capacity generators and pesticides with spraying kits.
There were other items meant for the physical comfort of thousands of beneficiaries such as 3,000 pieces of wrapper, sleeping mats, blankets, mosquito nets, children’s clothes and brocade fabrics.
The food for peace programme, which is under the agriculture and food security pillar of PISE-P, recognizes the importance of food security in the search for peace in the South-east region.
It is expected that the motorcycles will be used to access the farmlands in the hinterlands, while the pesticides and spraying machines would be used to checkmate weeds and pests thereby enhancing food production.
The generators and deep freezers, among others items are equally useful in useful in the agricultural value chain hence their inclusion in the empowerment items.
Kalu had before the distribution of the items, stressed the need for a seamless distribution of the various items in all the local governments, adding that every beneficiary must be captured for accountability.
He stated that the other components pillars of PISE-P would be launched in phases, noting that in due course, infrastructural developments would roll in and improve the lots of the people.
The deputy speaker said that with PISE-P the prospect for sustainable peace and tranquility in the South-east was very high, especially with the commitment already expressed by President Bola Tinubu.
He therefore called on Ndigbo to support Mr. President to realise his new deal for the Southeast, adding that the zone would reap immense benefits under Tinubu’s administration.
However, he warned that nothing would be achieved in the region in the absence of peace and security hence everybody should give peace a chance.
“It is time for unity, it is time for peace. That is the only way we can rebuild our region,” Kalu pleaded, adding, “our hard work will only pay when we do it in peace and unity”.
