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Lagos Receives Dangote’s Rice Support For Vulnerable Households
Lagos State Government has received 80,000 bags of 10 kilogrammes of rice to bolster its interventions targeted at ameliorating the impacts of current hardship on vulnerable households in the State.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, personally received fully loaded trucks laden with 80,000 units of 10kg bags of rice supplied by Aliko Dangote Foundation for immediate distribution to various segments of the vulnerable population.
Africa’s richest man and Chairman of Aliko Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, was accompanied by his billionaire associate, Mr. Femi Otedola, and daughter, Fatimah Dangote, to fulfil the corporate social responsibility aimed at supporting the nutritional needs of residents in the fasting period and easing the prevailing situation of hardship.
The intervention was part of the Foundation’s ongoing rollout of one million bags of 10kg rice to vulnerable families across 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, with Lagos taking the second largest share of the largesse.
Sanwo-Olu described the gesture as “extreme act of kindness”, noting that Dangote had always stood out as a “unique breed of citizen” enamoured with love and compassion for the downtrodden.
The Governor said: “For extending this gesture of love and kindness to the needy and vulnerable people in the country, Alhaji Dangote has shown that he is a Nigerian that has chosen to be different. The trait of Dangote’s humanity is not just living in his body; he has, by this huge intervention, openly demonstrated the trait of human kindness he possesses in no small measure.
“The donation of 80,000 units of 10kg bags of rice demonstrates that philosophy of the Foundation. This is extending empathy to those in need of little assistance in these difficult times. This direct intervention translates to compassion and goes beyond the pursuit of only profit and wealth. This is a period the Government and private sector need to take joint action to ameliorate the pains being experienced by citizens due to inflation.”
Sanwo-Olu said the supplies would shore up the State-led interventions and help to alleviate the food shortage caused by inflation.
The Governor said his administration had rolled out key multi-sectoral initiatives to assist Lagosians cope, including slashing of fares for public transport, reviving of health palliative, and discounted food items supplies across the State.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the State Government would be distributing 100,000 combo boxes of food items to thousands of households free of charge, urging private organisations to emulate the Foundation’s gesture and support the ongoing efforts by the State to ramp up its interventions.
He said: “We have also secured 100,000 units of combo food packs for distribution to various segments of vulnerable communities in the State. We are finalising the logistics for the delivery. This is in addition to the weekly supply of discounted food items to various community markets.
“We embark on these initiatives in order to accommodate and assist the majority of the population cope in this period. I thank Lagosians for their patience and demonstration of resilience despite the challenges we are all passing through. When we work together, we will come out of this situation better and stronger.”
Dangote said the gesture underscored the Dangote Group’s commitment to exhibit spirit of compassion and solidarity with the vulnerable people, noting that the Foundation had fulfilled the mission yearly over the past 30 years to support Nigerians during fasting periods.
Dangote said Lagos became the second State after Kano where distribution of rice was being done, stressing that Lagos had strategic importance for the success of the outreach.
He said: “We recognise that the current circumstances where a significant number of Nigerians are experiencing hardship due to prevailing food prices inflation requires that we, the Dangote Foundation, provide succour for those affected. That is why we have reserved 200,000 metric tons of rice for distribution across 774 Local Government Areas in the country.”
The Foundation’s Managing Director, Ms. Zouera Youssoufou, said the coincidence of Ramadan and Lent compelled the organisation to raise the volume of food items, pointing out that the largesse was being extended to all faiths.
She said the Foundation would handle the distribution of the items, while Lagos Government would provide the beneficiaries.
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Air Force Begins Moving Electoral Materials For Edo Guber Election
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has began airlifting the sensitive election materials for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Benin, Edo State, ahead of the upcoming governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Kabiru Ali.
The operation is part of the NAF’s efforts to ensure the timely and secure delivery of materials necessary for a smooth electoral process.
This development reinforces the collaboration between NAF and INEC to facilitate logistics and ensure a peaceful election in Edo State.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, had previously reiterated NAF’s commitment to providing airlift support for the swift movement of electoral materials during a meeting with INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
This airlift operation is a crucial aspect of NAF’s constitutional responsibility to provide Military Aid to Civil Authority, underscoring the force’s dedication to supporting democratic processes in Nigeria. With the election just days away, the NAF’s timely intervention will help ensure the successful conduct of the governorship elections in Edo State.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State had earlier accused the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, of working with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to hunt the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and supporters in the state and force them into hiding ahead of September 21 governorship election.
Obaseki, who made the allegation when a delegation led by the former Head of State, Abdusalam Abubakar, met with him to get the governor and his party to sign peace accord, said that the IGP had made nonsense of his (Obaseki’s) role as the chief security officer of the state.
The governor had said that the police chief obtained a warrant to arrest 60 members and supporters of PDP in Edo and that the IGP sent an armed “gang” of policemen who invaded the state, attacked PDP members, shot at a local government chairman and arrested 10 persons who are currently being detained in Abuja without charges.
Asked by the former head of state if his party would sign the peace accord, Obaseki said, “The person who is supposed to enforce the peace accord is now an active participant in creating a destructive environment.
“We are now in a situation where from the Inspector General’s office, there are armed gang policemen who came into Edo State, invaded, arrested and took away PDP members.
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“Dancing gives me abundant joy and peace of mind”-Gov Adeleke
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has given reasons why he loves dancing.
The ‘Dancing Governor’, as he is fondly called, revealed this on Wednesday while responding to a tweet on X.
An X user, @Iwogoke, while praising the governor, stated that Adeleke has been busy fulfilling his electoral promises to the people of Osun State, while his political opponents believe he is only good at dancing.
Iwogoke tweeted, “I’m not flattering you, Your Excellency, your opponents think you can only dance but while they are busy shouting and calling you ‘Dancing Governor’, you are busy fulfilling your electoral promises to the people.”
Responding to the tweet via his verified X account, Adeleke explained that he loves dancing because it brings him joy.
Speaking further on his love for dancing, Adeleke highlighted that while dancing brings him immense happiness, his greater fulfilment comes from delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Osun.
Outlining his administration’s efforts to enhance the state’s infrastructure, he noted that primary health centre rehabilitation is underway in at least 200 out of the 332 wards across Osun State, adding that road construction projects are also progressing in every local government area.
He wrote, “Dancing gives me joy, but delivering on my electoral promises and providing the dividends of democracy to the good people of Osun gives me even greater joy. Rehabilitation of primary health centers is ongoing in at least 200 out of 332 wards, and road construction is progressing in every Local Government!”
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