The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has restated the commitment of her pet project, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), to helping Nigerians cope with economic difficulties and related issues.
She said the RHI remained committed to transforming lives through various programmes in health, education, agriculture, social investment and economic empowerment.
Mrs. Tinubu spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, while presenting food items to beneficiaries at the launch of RHI Food Outreach inside the Osuntokun Pavilion at the Government House ground in the state capital.
The First Lady promised that the initiative would distribute food items to people with disabilities, widows, special schools, and other vulnerable groups across the state.
She said RHI also remained committed to uplifting women and vulnerable communities across the country.
Mrs. Tinubu, who was represented by the wife of the Vice President and RHI’s National Vice Chairman, Hajiya Nana Shetima, said the event was a testament to her determination to improve the living standard among women and vulnerable groups, adding that empowerment and food security were critical pillars in her agenda.
The First Lady said the initiative was part of a larger strategy spearheaded by her office to tackle hunger and poverty among underserved population.
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The initiative, she stressed, aligned with the objectives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s focus on improving the lives of all Nigerians.
According to her, the RHI food outreach is committed to alleviating the hardship faced by many Nigerians, particularly those impacted by the current economic challenges.
Mrs. Tinubu explained that the outreach would not just provide food items but also reinforce her commitment to the well-being of women, children, and the elderly, who she said were disproportionately affected by poverty.
The First Lady stressed that the initiative would distribute staples, such as rice, beans, spaghetti, garri, among others, to thousands of families in Ekiti State with plans to extend the initiative to other regions in the coming months.
The RHI national chairman described the initiative as an avenue to transform lives across the country through various programmes in health, education, agriculture, social investment, and economic empowerment.
“Today, as we launch the programme in Ekiti State, we aim to reach all the geo-political zones and support citizens in need. Our hope is that this initiative will have a tangible impact on the lives of those we are here to support. As we distribute these associated food items, we encourage the beneficiaries to utilise them for the well-being of their families.
“A healthy family forms the foundation of a striving society, which is ultimately our goal. The Renewed Hope Initiative remains committed to transforming lives through various programmes in health, education, agriculture, social investment and economic empowerment.
“We are dedicated to supporting our citizens, particularly persons with disabilities, youth, women and children, so to help them build a better family life,” she added.
The wife of the Ekiti State governor and RHI State Coordinator, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, expressed gratitude to Mrs. Tinubu for the impact the RHI food outreach would have on many Nigerian families.
Dr. Oyebanji, who described the gesture as a symbol of hope and assurance that President Tinubu remained committed to addressing the needs of Nigerians, noted that the initiative would bring relief to countless vulnerable people across the state.
The governor’s wife hailed Mrs. Tinubu for using the RHI as a platform to make positive and tangible impacts in the lives of all Nigerians.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Biodun Agboola expressed appreciation to the First Lady, saying the initiative would alleviate the burden that vulnerable Nigerians were facing.
Other dignitaries at the event included the deputy governor, Mrs. Monisade Afuye; Ekiti State House of Assembly Speaker Adeoye Aribasoye; members of the House of Assembly and the State Executive Council (Exco), as well as representatives of religious bodies, market women associations, and community leaders.