Free food scheme: Ondo exceeds 100,000 target

Arrangements have begun in earnest for the kick off of the  second round of  free food distribution  in the  Ondo state government initiated  palliative (Eto Igbe-Ayo) programme , even as beneficiaries in  the first round  exceeded the targeted 100,000 women.

The free food distribution programme which started from Ikare in Akoko North  East local government area in the first round, moved to Ose and Owo, all in the north senatorial district. It later moved  to  the south senatorial district and ended last night with beneficiaries in Akure south and Ondo West local governments areas of the central senatorial District.

Briefing newsmen  on the development in Akure on Friday, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade said government would soon roll out  schedule for the second round  of the programme which he said recorded a very successful first round.

He said the fact that  government’s initial target of  a hundred thousand women in the first round of the exercise was exceeded is an indication of  how popular the programme has become.

The palliative which recorded over 5,000 beneficiaries on kick-off day in Ikare is  accessed with the state’s branded Smart Card tagged  Kaadi Igbeayo.

The commissioner mentioned that residents in the state can still register to obtain their smart card at  designated collecting points across the state, the former  Cooperative College  and the Ondo state Investment Company, Alagbaka, Akure.

At the flag off of the programme   where about  five thousand  women received food items, the state’s governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko  had mentioned that the   Ikare event was  the first phase of the first round  of the programme designed to draw beneficiaries from the 18 local government areas of the  state.