The Cross River State Government is expected to host the South-South regional launch of the National Community Food Bank Initiative in September, with the programme targeting vulnerable groups and communities facing food insecurity across the region.
The initiative, being driven by the Federal Government under its food security intervention, is expected to provide support to vulnerable Nigerians, particularly malnourished children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Against this backdrop, the Cross River State Government has stepped up preparations to host the regional launch scheduled for the first week of September.
The preparations were reviewed on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Ministry of Health headquarters in Calabar.
The meeting brought together officials of relevant ministries, departments and agencies to coordinate logistics, security, budgeting and other arrangements ahead of the regional launch, which is expected to be attended by the President.
Speaking at the meeting, the state Commissioner for Health, Henry Ayuk, said the initiative was in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on food security and improving access to food for vulnerable populations.
Ayuk said the programme was targeted at ensuring that people, especially those in hard-to-reach communities, had access to food throughout the year.
He explained that the initiative was being driven by the Presidency through the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, adding that Cross River was ready to host the South-South regional launch.
The commissioner also disclosed that the state’s health budget had increased from below five per cent to more than 10 per cent under the administration of Governor Bassey Otu.
He directed officials involved in the programme to ensure proper documentation and budgetary provisions ahead of the launch.
Providing an update on the state’s preparations, the Director-General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Vivien Otu, said Governor Otu had approved the establishment of warehouses for the food bank initiative.
She disclosed that construction of the National Community Food Bank facility at the agency’s premises in Ediba had reached more than 50 per cent completion.
According to her, inspection visits would also be conducted in Ikom and Ogoja as part of efforts to assess facilities and ensure readiness for the programme.
Otu added that an advance team led by the National Coordinator of the National Committee for Food Bank, Dr Mutahali Mai, would arrive in the state ahead of the launch to train local officials on beneficiary enrolment and programme implementation.
She said priority would be given to vulnerable groups, including malnourished children below six years, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
The Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, Ubong Sam, pledged the support of relevant agencies towards the successful implementation of the programme.
Also contributing to the meeting, the Special Adviser on Events, Effiong Ekpenyong, discussed arrangements for event coordination and logistics.
The State Security Adviser, Major General Okoi Ubi Obono (retd.), said security and crowd-management measures were being integrated into the preparations to ensure a safe and orderly event.
He assured stakeholders that appropriate safety protocols and designated overflow areas would be provided as part of the arrangements for the launch.