In a bid to cushion the effect of the current economic hardship on the people of Ogu/Bolo, the Caretaker Chairman of the Local Government Area Evans Bipi has distributed bags of rice and cash handouts to the poor and the most vulnerable in the area.
The beneficiaries drawn from the twelve Wards of Ogu/Bolo include women, the elderly, widows, orphans and physically challenged persons.
Speaking while presenting the bags of rice and cash to the beneficiaries in Ogu, Evans Bipi said the initiative was part of the Renewed Hope Food Security Programme of the Wife of the President Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The Ogu/Bolo Caretaker Chairman said the gesture which was facilitated by the Wife of the Rivers State Governor Valerie Fubara is in consonance with the decision of his administration to focus on stomach infrastructure to reduce the scourge of hunger in the area and alleviate the sufferings of the people.
He said in support of the initiative the Local Government added funds to that of the State Government to increase the cash handouts and the accompanying bags of rice to ensure that more vulnerable households in Ogu/Bolo benefit from the gesture.
Bipi reiterated that the wellbeing of the people remains his top priority.
Prominent Women Leader in Ogu/Bolo and former Vice Chairman of the Local Government Area Christy Tamunobereton-ari who coordinated the distribution said the bags of rice and cash were evenly distributed to the targeted beneficiaries including non-indigenes across the twelve Wards of Ogu/Bolo in line with the directive of the Wife of the Governor.
She commended the Ogu/Bolo Caretaker Chairman Evans Bipi for leveraging on the gesture by the Wives of the President and the Governor to reach out to more households in Ogu/Bolo in desperate need of help amidst the current economic situation in the country.
“Today we held a very big and significant occasion at the instance of the Caretaker Chairman of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, Rt. Hon. Evans Bapakaye Bipi, DSSRS”.
“The bags of rice were sent to us from the Renewed Hope Initiative of the Wife of the President of Nigeria through the First Lady of Rivers State Her Excellency, Lady Valerie Fubara for distribution to the people at the grassroots”.
“The bags of rice were distributed to indigenes and non-indigenes across the twelve Wards of Ogu/Bolo. We identified the poor, aged women, physically challenged persons and other vulnerable people, and gave them bags of rice and cash gift”.
“We are saying thank you to this initiative, had the First Lady of Rivers State not sent what was given to the State to the 23 Local Government Areas we will not have gotten ours, so we say a very big thank you to her Excellency Lady Valerie Fubara for her kind gesture towards us”.
“We also want to specially thank our indefatigable and kindhearted Caretaker Chairman Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi for increasing the largesse and scope of distribution to cover more people in need of food and cash support”.
The beneficiaries expressed delight and appreciation to the Wives of the President and the Governor as well as to the Caretaker Chairman of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Evans Bipi for the gesture.
They particularly thank the Ogu/Bolo Caretaker Chairman for always remembering poor and vulnerable people in the society, bringing succor to them and giving them hope of better days ahead.
Signed:
Emeka Idika Kalu,
Chief Press Secretary,
Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area,
Saturday 6th July, 2024.
