Covid-19: Osun Food And Relief Committee Begins Distribution Of Palliatives To Residents

The Osun 21 member COVID-19 Food and Relief Committee setup by the state governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, on Tuesday commenced the distribution of food items worth N150 million to residents of the state.

At the flag-off of the distribution exercise in Osogbo, the Secretary of the Committee, Mr Adebayo Jimoh, told journalists that the food items (made-up of rice, beans, garri, eggs, noodles) being distributed were sourced by members of the committee and that they are meant for the less privileged and vulnerables in the state.

Jimoh explained that distribution of food items to residents of the state, as palliatives during the Coronavirus pandemic, would be a continuous exercise and that the distribution being done today was the first tranche of many to come.

He said the food items being distributed were bought from monies and donations from kind hearted individuals and cooperate organisations and that the food items which is worth N150 million (which is the first tranche) would be shared to vulnerable people in three local government areas in the three senatorial zones of the state.

He stated the benefiting local governments in the first tranche to include : Odo-Otin, Ede North and Ilesha West Local Government Areas of Osun State.

He said the food items would be shared to the poor and vulnerable in these local government through the use of the state ‘social register’ which contains the names, addresses and phone numbers of the poor and needy in the state.

“The food items would be given to those who are recognised and registered on the state social register.

“We are using the social register because it had been in use by the state government since 2014 to document the poor and vulnerable across the state and it is constantly updated every year.

“There will also be food distribution committees which would comprise of CSOs, Local Government chairmen, traditional and religion leaders that will contact the beneficiaries through the social register, and also ensure that each beneficiary sign the social register upon receiving the food items.” he said

He said 30 percent of the food items would also be given to physically challenged and the elderly in those local government areas, stating that every sons and daughters of the state, who falls under the category of beneficiaries, irrespective of religious or political affiliation would benefit