Kind and public spirited Nigerians have been enjoined to lend a hand to the vulnerable persons, the poor and the needy in the country to ameliorate their predicament.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Oladele Alake who made the appeal said such assistance will also ease the present economic hardship on the people.
Alake made the appeal during the flag-off of distribution of 1,200 bags of rice to the aged people in Ekiti State.
The move, the Ikoro Ekiti-born minister said, followed the decision of the federal government to respond to the yearnings of the Nigerian people to make more food available at the grassroots.
Alake, in a statement by his Special Assistant (Media) Segun Tomori, said all hands must be on deck to support all efforts to rid the state of hunger and poverty.
While appreciating President Bola Tinubu for living up to his tradition of listening to the people and demonstrating a caring heart, Alake said the 1,200 bags made available to him and each ministers to further supplement the established channels of distribution such as state governments and civic organisations, will be channeled to the aged only.
According to him, “We need to reach out to our aged fathers and mothers at times like this to demonstrate the Omoluabi values of taking care of the old in the community.
“In the spirit of inclusion, it is important that we channel this intervention to mainly elderly citizens who do not have the strength to compete for welfare goods such as these at the established centres. We have taken their inventory and we are delivering to them”.
He added that subsequent interventions will target other segments of the populace such as widows, orphans, persons living with disabilities and students.