Niger Delta
Gov. Eno inaugurates Bulk Purchase Agency board
Gôvernor Umo Eno of Akwa lbom has inaugurated the Board of the State’s Bulk Purchasing Agency
The Board has Mr Dan Akpan as its Chairman and Mr Unyime Etim as General Manager/Secretary.
The Commissioners in the Ministries of Economic Development; Agriculture; Justice; and Internal Security are members of the board.
Eno, during the inauguration on Friday, charged the board to ensure transparency and accountability as stated in the blueprint for the interventionist agency.
He said that the establishment of the Agency was in furtherance of his administration’s bold and compassionate intervention.
He added that it was also to avail the needy and most vulnerable in the State with staple food items at no cost, considering the tough economic conditions across the nation.
The Governor urged the committee to work closely with the Ministries of Economic Development and Agriculture, liaise with food producers, distributors and stakeholders to ensure the judicious administration of the food voucher programme.
“We have rolled out a blueprint for this programme to be launched and how it should be managed.
“We expect that you follow and remain very accountable. You should be ready to be audited at anytime by any group of persons because we must ensure transparency.
“This Board is tasked with the onerous responsibility of administering our ARISE Food Security Programme scheduled to be launched next week Tuesday.
“This is our bold and compassionate intervention at this critical moment when the prices of our staple food items such as rice, beans and garri have soared beyond the immediate reach of the poor and most vulnerable,” Eno said.
He commended the State Legislature for aligning with the vision of the Executive to accord the Bulk Purchase Agency Bill the due importance through speedy legislative consideration.
He said that the voucher would be given to the most vulnerable through the social register and they will present them in exchange for the foodstuff at designated redemption centres at various markets and shops in all the 31 LGAs.
“There is no better way to manage the food distribution programme than the use of the social register, so we can be accountable and transparent,” he said.
The governor added that the government’s seedlings distribution programme through the Ministry of Agriculture would soon commence.
