Ebonyi Distributes Rice, Others, To Citizens As Christmas Gifts

Ebonyi state government has begun the distribution of rice to indigent people of the state as part of its determination to make the yuletide more conducive for them. 

This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Monitoring, Hon (Mrs) Ann Anekwe, while speaking with newsmen in Abakaliki, the state capital.

The Commissioner, who described the gesture as part of the commitment by Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru's Charter of Needs, explained that the policy is part of his determination to touch the lives of every Ebonyi people, particularly at the grassroot level.

She explained that the governor gave a mandate that the distribution process must be based on polling unit formation, which guarantees a more equitable access to the item by the people at the grass root level.

According to her, each of the 2,946 polling unit will receive 35 bags of 10kg instead of passing same through other means, including individuals, MDAs or associations, which will make it more elitist.

“His Excellency, our dear governor has directed that we distrinute 35 bags ofrice to 10 kg rice acros the 2946 polling units in Ebonyi state. Each polling unit is getting 35 bags of 10kg bags of rice and by the time we finish them across the polling units, then tomatoes, Maggi and ground nut oil will follow. 

"We are going to do it polling unit by polling unit because at the polling unit level, you will be able to touch the grassroots, you make sure you send it down to the grassroots because if you allow only associations, individuals, MDAs to collect, the items will end up being at the upper level, will not get to the down trodden ones,” she explains.

The commissioner also discloased that as part of the governor's effort at making life a lot better for Ebonyi people at the grassroot through the Charter of Needs, he earlier ordered the disburesement of N10m each to 31 communities to enable them put in place a number of development intiatives aimed at making life better.

“Our governor really wants to touch lives at the grassroot level. Even before now, just about three weeks ago, he flagged off the disbursement of N10m to about 31 communities to enable them build culverts, renovation of their health centres, drilling of boreholes. That is ongoing. So, he is really a humanitarian governor and I give it him,” she disclosed.