Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the National Community Food Bank Programme in the South-West, with the initiative aimed at tackling food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable households.

The programme was launched on Wednesday at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State, during Mrs Tinubu’s one-day official visit to the state.

The initiative is being implemented under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with emphasis on improving access to nutritious food and strengthening health outcomes for vulnerable Nigerians.

Speaking at the launch, Mrs Tinubu said children below six years, pregnant women and lactating mothers would be among the priority beneficiaries.

She clarified that the community food banks were created specifically to assist disadvantaged households and should not be regarded as food hubs for general commercial distribution.

“A food bank is not a food hub. It is meant for disadvantaged people, and every treatment and service provided there is free,” she said.

The First Lady expressed hope that the programme would eventually expand to cover vulnerable families across Nigeria.

As part of the Ogun State launch, three community food banks were established simultaneously in Sagamu, Yewa North and Abeokuta South Local Government Areas.

The programme is being implemented through a partnership involving the Office of the First Lady, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Bank of Agriculture.

Mrs Tinubu explained that the programme was formally launched and its Board of Trustees inaugurated in Abuja on April 2.

The initiative later expanded to other geopolitical zones, with its North-East launch taking place in Borno on April 27, followed by Jigawa for the North-West on June 29 and Kogi for the North-Central zone on July 11.

The Ogun launch brings the programme closer to nationwide coverage, while the Federal Government is expected to extend it to the South-South and South-East zones.

Mrs Tinubu urged state governments to take ownership of the facilities and establish community food banks close to primary healthcare centres.

She also called on governors across the South-West to establish similar facilities in their respective states in partnership with the NPHCDA.

According to the First Lady, the food banks are expected to give vulnerable families access to nutritious food while contributing to wider efforts to tackle malnutrition.

The programme places particular emphasis on groups considered more vulnerable to food insecurity, including young children, pregnant women and nursing mothers.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, commended Mrs Tinubu for her leadership in tackling malnutrition and improving food security among vulnerable Nigerians.

The Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Ayo Sotirin, said the bank would strengthen the financial and supply chains supporting the programme across the country.

During her one-day visit to Ogun State, Mrs Tinubu also inaugurated the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate and the 250-bed Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence in Abeokuta.

Governor Dapo Abiodun thanked the First Lady for her commitment to improving the welfare of vulnerable Nigerians and supporting development initiatives in Ogun State.

Abiodun said the community food bank programme demonstrated the Federal Government’s efforts to turn the Renewed Hope Agenda into practical improvements in the lives of citizens.

“Development must ultimately be measured by its impact on human beings,” the governor said.

He added that government performance should be assessed not only by the number of projects completed but also by the number of lives improved through such interventions.

The governor said the newly inaugurated estate reflected his administration’s commitment to providing decent and affordable housing. He added that the Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence would improve access to quality healthcare and help reduce medical tourism.

Mrs Tinubu also commended the Ogun State Government for its infrastructure development and commitment to improving residents’ welfare.

With additional launches planned for the South-South and South-East, the Federal Government aims to complete the nationwide rollout of the National Community Food Bank Programme and broaden access to food and nutrition support for vulnerable households.

Source: MSME Africa Online