Allegation against poverty alleviation scheme outrageous -Fayemi's wife

Wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, has described as outrageous the claim in some quarters that the state Food Bank and Soup Kitchen programmes are cosmetic and ineffective approach towards fighting poverty.

She spoke in Isan Ekiti on Saturday during the 2013 Isan Ekiti Day celebration, noting that the schemes brought relief to the poor.

According to her, the schemes are established to cater for the indigent elderly people living with HIV/AIDS, widows and the physically challenged.

The governor's wife, while assuring the people of the sustainability of the schemes, said the programmes were part of the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration's efforts to banish poverty from the state.

She said no fewer than 12 soup kitchens were established across the state under the scheme to prepare free meal for indigent elders to cushion the effects of economic hardship.

Fayemi said, 'It is a genuine effort by Ekiti Development Foundation in partnership with the state government to banish poverty

from Ekiti State. We established the Food Bank to give free raw food items to some of the beneficiaries to prepare on their own.

'It is a programme that gulps several millions of naira . So we are committed to its sustainability and I believe it is a veritable

weapon to fight poverty because feeding is part of the basic needs of life.' Punch