First Lady Launches N/West Food Bank In Jigawa, Commissions Roads

By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse

Nigeria’s First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed her commitment to supporting small and medium-scale businesses, describing the sector as a critical foundation for sustainable economic development.

She made the commitment at the launch of the Northwest edition of the National Community Food Bank in Hadejia, North East Jigawa state on Monday.

The National Community Food Bank Programme is a deliberate and sustainable response to food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable households in Nigeria.

The programme covers the states of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara all of whose governors attended the launch, alongside their spouses.

According to the first lady, the National Food Bank was designed to ensure that vulnerable children under the age of six, pregnant women, and lactating mothers have access to nutritious food.

“This initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda, (RHA) of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in advancing food security, improving healthcare outcomes, and building a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria.

“This programme is being implemented through a strategic partnership between the Office of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and the Bank of Agriculture.

According to her, the first phase of the launch was conducted in Borno state on 27th April for the North-East zone, congratulating the government and people of Borno for their swift implementation of the National Community Food Bank Programme, which has already enrolled 560 beneficiaries and reached 468 vulnerable children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers in less than two months.

“This impressive achievement gives me confidence that Jigawa State will set even higher standard for others to follow.

The choice of Jigawa for the North-West launch is strategic. Jigawa is an agrarian state with immense agricultural potential and a strong commitment to improving the well-being of its people.

She added that the success of the programme wiould depend on sustained collaboration, noting, “We must work together to build a transparent, accountable, and efficient food bank system that reaches vulnerable households across Nigeria.”

She therefore called on individuals, organisations, institutions, and development partners across the North-West Zone to support and actively participate in this initiative as we continue its nationwide rollout.

As parts of the activities heralding the visit was the commissioning of some projects named after her and President Tinubu. They included the Gandun Sariki Road, named after her as well as the Hadejia–Garun Gabas–Dolan Kwana Road, named after the president.

Also commissioned were the Bola Tinubu Academy in Hadejia as well as the Oluremi Tinubu Clinic and Dialysis Centre; Where she expressed of the first family for the honour done to them.

“These projects are clear evidence of the State and Federal Government’s commitment to improving infrastructure, expanding access to quality healthcare, and investing in the education and future of young people.

“I have been informed that for many years, communities around Hadejia and the surrounding areas have been facing a growing burden of chronic kidney disease. The installation of a new dialysis machine at the Dialysis Centre will no doubt bring relief and hope to many patients and their families in Hadejia, neighbouring communities, and beyond.

“In the same vein, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Academy represents President’s commitment to human capital development and educational excellence. By investing in the education of our children today, we are securing a better tomorrow for them.”

The Jigawa state governor Umar Namadi in his welcome expressed the gratitude of his administration to the president for his strong leadership for through his bold economic reforms ndeed, this commitment is firmly rooted in our Constitution.

For him the physical presence of the first lady to the state to launch was a manifestation of the commitment of the Tinubu’s presidency to ensure that every part of the country feels the positive impacts of the economic reforms.

He therefore pledged on behalf of his colleagues in the Northwest to ensure that they work closely with the office of the First Lady and relevant ministries, departments and agencies to ensure that the set objectives of the programme was achieved.