Remi Tinubu Launches North-West Food Bank, Commissions Key Projects In Jigawa

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu unveils a regional food bank initiative and commissioned major projects during her Jigawa visit.

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Monday launched the North-West Food Bank Project in Jigawa State and commissioned key infrastructure projects aimed at improving healthcare, education and social welfare in the region.

Mrs Tinubu arrived at the Dutse International Airport to a warm reception from Governor Umar Namadi, his deputy, senior government officials, traditional rulers, women groups and supporters before proceeding to Hadejia for a series of engagements.

The highlight of the visit was the launch of the North-West Food Bank Project, a government-backed initiative designed to tackle child malnutrition by providing nutritional support to vulnerable children, pregnant women and nursing mothers across the region.

Speaking at the launch in Hadejia, the First Lady said the initiative was developed through a partnership between the Office of the First Lady and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, adding that a Board of Trustees would oversee implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the programme.

“Our cardinal objective is to ensure that no child dies or suffers stunting because of the economic condition of his or her family,” Tinubu said. “It is the responsibility of the government to protect the lives and dignity of its citizens.”

She said the federal government would continue to work with state governments and development partners to expand programmes aimed at improving the welfare of Nigerians.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, said one primary healthcare centre would be designated in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas to implement the Food Bank Project.

He said trained health workers would identify children, pregnant women and nursing mothers suffering from malnutrition, enrol confirmed cases in a digital database and provide nutritional support until they recover.

“The beneficiaries will continue receiving food assistance until medical professionals certify them healthy,” Pate said.

As part of her visit under the Renewed Hope Initiative, the First Lady also commissioned two landmark facilities, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Future Academy and the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Clinic, both aimed at expanding access to education and healthcare services in the area.

The Renewed Hope Initiative, championed by Mrs Tinubu, focuses on economic empowerment, education, healthcare and social development across the country.

Governor Umar Namadi described the Food Bank Project as a timely intervention for the North-West, a region that continues to face some of the country’s highest rates of child malnutrition and stunting.

He said Jigawa State had introduced complementary nutrition programmes, including cash transfers for pregnant women and nursing mothers, the Masaki Project and the production of Tom Brown nutritional supplements.

“We believe this initiative will strengthen our efforts to reduce child malnutrition and stunting across the state and the region,” Namadi said.

The governor also said the projects commissioned by the First Lady would complement the state’s efforts to expand access to critical services and improve living standards for residents.

Governors from the seven North-West states, their spouses, senior federal and state government officials, development partners, traditional rulers and community leaders attended the launch and commissioning ceremony.

Mrs Tinubu also interacted with beneficiaries of various intervention schemes during the visit, which further underscored collaboration between the federal and state governments in advancing people-centred development programmes under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.