Salary crisis: JKF Centre to distribute food itmes to nursing mothers, children in Ekiti

The John Kayode Fayemi Centre will distribute variety of food items to nursing mothers and children as its contributions to cushion the effects of the economic crunch that has pervaded the state.
Speaking with reporters over the weekend, the Director of the JKF Centre, Biodun Omoleye, explained that the items will be donated as a stop-gap measure to cushion the effects of food crisis arising from the non-payment of salaries by the State Government in the last six months.
Omoleye explained: “The food items, which are targeted mainly at nursing mothers and children who are the worst hit by the current economic crunch, are to mitigate the effects of the crushing hunger in the state.
“It is also an extension of the JKF Food Bank Scheme while he was Governor of the state, whereby raw and cooked food items were distributed to the old, weak and vulnerable in the society.”
Omoleye added that the organisation read in newspapers the disturbing news of how otherwise decent housewives and nursing mothers were stealing foodstuffs and soup, while babies and children are subjected to agonizing conditions ever witnessed since the creation of the State.
He said: “This embarrassing situation must not be allowed to continue and this is why the JKF Centre on humanitarian grounds decided to intervene by donating food items required by these children and nursing mothers to alleviate their suffering.”
The food items, which include beverages, noodles, spaghetti, cereals, salt, semovita and wheat among others, are to be distributed to these vulnerable people through organized forum like churches, mosques and other centres identified by the JKF Centre.
Stressing the importance of agriculture as a sure bet to fighting poverty and boosting food production, Omoleye said: “The JKF Centre enjoins Ekiti people to take advantage of their good soil texture, favourable climate and availability of vast arable land to take farming as extra vocation to mitigate against food shortage in times of food crisis as presently being experienced.”
The JKF Centre enjoined well meaning people in the society to intervene to save lives of our future leaders as nothing is too small in this direction.
It appreciated the humanitarian gesture by some groups and churches, which recently distributed food items to the unpaid workers and many vulnerable Ekiti State people.
The non-payment of salaries and emoluments in a state that is wholly dependent on government staffers has greatly affected the standard of living in the state, the statement by the JFK Centre said.
The intervention of the JKF Centre will greatly alleviate the sufferings of Ekiti State people, especially women and children, who are the worst hit, Omoleye said.
The food items will be distributed on July 11, 2016 at the JKF situation office located along Ajilosun Street, Ado-Ekiti.
Beneficiaries have been contacted to collect their shares, while some will be taken to beneficiaries outside the state capital.