By Ayomide Otitoju
The Aliko Dangote Foundation has commenced the distribution of 10,000 bags of rice, each weighing 10 kilograms, to vulnerable groups, persons with disabilities, and the less privileged in Bayelsa State, as part of its ongoing National Food Intervention Programme.
The exercise was officially flagged off in Yenagoa, the state capital, with the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, representing Governor Douye Diri at the event. He commended Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his longstanding commitment to humanitarian causes and his strategic partnership with the Bayelsa State government in agriculture.
“We deeply appreciate the relationship the Dangote Group has established with us, particularly as an off-taker for our locally cultivated rice,” Ewhrudjakpo said. “We are also hopeful for future collaboration, such as the establishment of a rice milling facility within our farm clusters.”
He further praised Dangote’s philanthropic legacy, describing him as a rare example of someone who has “conquered greed” through consistent giving over the past three decades.
Speaking during the distribution, the Head of Operations for the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Edero Victor Ejiro, said the rice donation forms part of a broader nationwide initiative targeting over one million vulnerable Nigerians across all 774 local government areas.
“We are here to present 10,000 bags of 10kg rice to the people of Bayelsa. This distribution aims to cushion the impact of the current economic hardship and support the food security efforts of state governments,” Ejiro said.
He added that the foundation was particularly impressed with the distribution plan developed by the Bayelsa government and expressed confidence that the rice would reach those who need it most.
Chairman of the Bayelsa chapter of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JNAPWD), Ekpomokumor Mayor, also lauded the gesture, saying it brought much-needed relief to members of the disability community.
Following the launch, the rice distribution will be extended to all eight local government areas of the state, with councillors tasked with ensuring that the items reach intended beneficiaries across various wards.
