First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has donated food items worth millions of naira to vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, in Bauchi State under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Social Investment Programme.

The items were formally handed over to the First Lady of Bauchi State, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed, at the Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu Square, Government House, Bauchi, on Saturday, for distribution to beneficiaries.

Represented at the ceremony by the wife of the Vice President and National Vice-Chairman of the RHI, Hajiya Nana Shettima, Oluremi Tinubu said the food outreach programme was introduced in March 2024 to support persons with disabilities and other vulnerable Nigerians.

She said the intervention was also intended to assist families facing hardship and improve the wellbeing of beneficiaries, in line with the objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The First Lady disclosed that the RHI had also established the National Community Food Bank Programme to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition, improve access to nutritious food and support the healthy development of children.

According to her, the programme, which began in Borno State, has now reached four geopolitical zones, with plans to extend it to the remaining two zones.

She said the initiative was being sustained through the support of two donors who had pledged to provide two truckloads of food items to the RHI every month.

One of the donors, she disclosed, is the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative, while the second donor chose to remain anonymous.

The food consignment delivered to Bauchi was donated by the anonymous benefactor, she said, while expressing appreciation to both donors for their continued support.

Oluremi Tinubu said the food intervention had already reached 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory, making Bauchi the 29th state to benefit from the programme.

She added that Katsina and Akwa Ibom would be the next beneficiaries.

The First Lady commended Aisha Bala Mohammed for her commitment to implementing RHI programmes and supporting vulnerable residents in Bauchi before formally handing over the items for distribution.

In her remarks, Aisha Bala Mohammed described the intervention as timely, particularly amid the economic pressures facing many households.

She said the food items and financial assistance would provide immediate relief to vulnerable families and help restore hope among beneficiaries.

Aisha, who also serves as the RHI State Coordinator and Northeast Zonal Coordinator, disclosed that additional financial assistance would be distributed across the state.

According to her, N50,000 would be allocated to each of the 20 local government areas, while different categories of beneficiaries would receive varying amounts.

She listed the allocations as N100,000 for schoolchildren, N150,000 for Christian children, N80,000 for beneficiaries from orphanage homes, N120,000 for persons with special needs, N150,000 for Almajirai and N50,000 for children in remand homes.

She said the wide range of beneficiaries reflected the programme’s commitment to ensuring that vulnerable groups were not excluded from government-supported interventions.

Aisha also said women in Bauchi welcomed the initiative, noting that the support would ease some of the pressure on families and demonstrate continued attention to their welfare.

She assured that the state government would continue to support programmes aimed at improving the lives of women, children, persons with special needs and other vulnerable residents.

She urged beneficiaries to use the food and financial assistance responsibly.

Bauchi State Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed also commended the First Lady for the intervention.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Muhammad Auwal Jatau, said the support would provide relief to families and offer assistance to vulnerable residents struggling with economic difficulties.

He expressed hope that the intervention would help beneficiaries meet immediate needs while strengthening their optimism for improved living conditions.

Some beneficiaries, including Adama Gambo, Hadiza Aliyu and Ibrahim Muhammad, also expressed appreciation to the First Lady, saying the intervention would make a difference to vulnerable residents across the state.