The foundation flagged off the distribution of the rice at
the State House, Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu,
Chairman of the foundation, Aliko Dangote and others present at the
distribution event.
According to Dangote, the gesture was part of the over one
million 10kg bags of rice that would be distributed to reach one million
vulnerable people in the 774 local government areas of the country.
He said the distribution of the 80,000 bags of 10kg rice was
another demonstration of the foundation’s commitment to upholding the values of
compassion and solidarity that are at the core of humanity.
Dangote stated that the distribution of the rice was in
addition to the daily distribution of 12,500 loaves of bread in Lagos,
stressing that with the initiative, the foundation aspired to ameliorate some
of the burdens faced by vulnerable communities across Lagos State.
Speaking at the event, Sanwo-Olu, applauded the many
initiatives of Dangote to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians, while
praising him for showing compassion to the needy in the society.
The governor said the gesture of the distribution of 80,000
bags of 10kg rice showed that the leadership of the Foundation prioritised the
welfare of the people beyond the pursuit of profit and accumulation of wealth.
“Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian that has chosen to be
different. You have choices but you have made the right one which is caring for
the vulnerable. I appreciate Mr. Aliko Dangote for extending his kind gestures
to the people at the bottom of the pyramid and we are grateful for supporting
us in government. There is a lot of global disruption in different parts of the
world, and it is a tough time to be in a position of leadership,” he said.
He encouraged other wealthy Nigerians to emulate Dangote,
saying the distribution of the rice would support the initiative of the state
in addressing the effects of the economic hardship.
Justifying the food intervention in Lagos, Dangote said:
“While our traditional Ramadan food distribution has been focused on the Muslim
Community, we recognize that the current circumstances where a significant
proportion of Nigerians across the nation are experiencing severe hardship due
to the prevailing high prices of food, require that we broaden our program to
cover communities of all faiths.
“This is why we are extending the Ramadan initiative to
cover all the thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory as a
testament to our commitment to supporting our communities in line with our core
values and the spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadan.”
The CEO of the ADF, Zouera Youssoufou, said the Foundation
is partnering credible NGOs, civil societies, religious bodies among others to
ensure the donations go to the most vulnerable in Lagos State.
She said the Foundation is guided by a vision of empowering
Africans to achieve their self-actualization and full potential as it believes
that every individual, regardless of their circumstances, deserves the
opportunity to thrive and succeed.
“In times of hardship, it is imperative that we stand
together as one nation, one community, extending a helping hand to our brothers
and sisters in their time of need as we have done with our female empowerment
programme in Lagos State which targeted 40,000 (Forty thousand) disadvantaged
women,” she added.
Group Executive Director Commercial Operations at Dangote
Industries Limited (DIL), Fatima Aliko-Dangote, noted that the flag off in
Lagos was a follow-up to the 120,000 bags distributed in Kano on Saturday, said
the intervention is targeted to reach the 774 local government areas in
Nigeria.
“We have been doing this for a while but we didn’t publicise
it because our chairman believes this is between him and God but this year we
decided to publicise it so that we can encourage and inspire others to do so.
“There are many other things the Dangote foundation is also
doing. We are also serving 2,500 breads all over Lagos daily. We started this
in 2020 during COVID-19. Also in our hometown in Kano, we have been doing
breakfast, lunch and dinner for the past 35 years. The foundation has invested
in many things. Years back, we gave women some money to be able to invest in
their businesses,” she said.
Speaking further, Dangote said that Lagos State held a
special place in the hearts of the Group, hosting two of its major investments
– Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Dangote Fertiliser Plant.
He disclosed that the Dangote Group is also working on the
nutrition agenda and has made significant strides in food fortification,
investing in iodized salt and vitamin A fortified sugar.
He stressed that the Group actively promotes food
fortification within the Nigerian food industry and is exploring fortification
methods for staples like rice and wheat and bouillon cubes to help ensure
improved nutrition nationwide.
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