The Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, on Friday, flagged off the second phase of the state food palliative programme, code named Eto Igbe Ayo targetted at reaching no fewer than seventy thousand women across Ondo State.
The Eto Igbe Ayo programme, which is aimed at cushioning the effect of the harsh economic situation of the nation on the women and their families, brought together women from different parts of the Ondo Southern Senatorial District at the flag-off ceremony held at Okitipupa Local Government secretariat, on Friday.
It would be recalled that One Hundred Thousand women had benefitted from the first phase of the programme which was flagged off in July 2016.
Addressing the beneficiaries at the occasion, Governor Mimiko said the items for distribution were rice and beans, adding that the programme was meant for all residents of the state irrespective of political affiliation.
He explained that the use of the State Residency Card also known as Kaadi Igbe Ayo was introduced in the distribution of the various items in order to guard against fraud and multiple receipts by the beneficiaries.
According to him, with the second edition of the programme, a total of One Hundred and Seventy Thousand (170,000) women across Ondo State had benefitted so far from the programme.
The Governor said the second phase, unlike the first phase which was solely funded by the state government, is a joint programme between the State and Local Governments as part of efforts at addressing poverty and hunger occasioned by the economic recession.
The wife of the Governor, Olukemi Mimiko, who handled the distribution of the Food items to the beneficiaries, commended the State and Local Government authorities for embarking on the programme to ameliorate the plight of the various families in Ondo State.
She noted that whatever passes through women will surely benefit the entire family, hence the reason why the women were mostly targeted in the Food Palliative programme.
Mrs Mimiko however urged women in the state to deliver the positive message in their various homes in the interest of the entire sunshine state.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman of Okitipupa Local Government Area, Pastor Larry Ogunmusire, eulogized the State Government for its consistency in giving priority to issues concerning women and children in the state, in spite of the present economic crunch, assuring that the people of the Local Government will continue to support the State Government in all its programmes.
Check some the pictures from the second phase flag off after the cut.