Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, has said that efforts are on to expand the outlets for ‘Ounje Ekiti’, a food initiative of the state government to make it accessible to more residents.
Boluwade, who said that the initiative was part of the state government’s response to food insecurity and post-harvest losses, noted that “government is already working to expand the outlets across the state to improve accessibility”.
The commissioner, according to a statement made available in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, spoke while reacting to a request by beneficiaries of the affordable foodstuffs programme for the creation of more sales outlets to reach many more residents.
Boluwade said, “The food items are sourced from farmers within the state, including youths engaged in agricultural programmes. The initiative is also providing a ready market for their produce”.
Under the initiative aimed at making staple foods more affordable for households, residents are purchasing food items such as rice, maize, beans and garri at highly reduced prices.
Buyers, who have been thronging the centres located at Shasha BAO, Agric Olope and the Fountain Agricultural Marketing Agency at the Old Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti to buy the foodstuff, praised Governor Biodun Oyebanji for the initiative.
The buyers, who described the programme as timely, noting that access to staple foods at reduced prices had helped to ease financial pressure on many households and had helped families cope with the rising cost of food, are, however, appealing to the government to expand the number of outlets across the state to enable more residents to benefit from the initiative.
(Punch)
