Solid Minerals Development Minister, Dele Alake has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu gave each of his ministers 1200 bags of rice for distribution as palliatives.

According to him, his own bags will be given to the aged in his state.

Alake’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori made this known in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Sunday.

The minister said, “Following the decision of the Presidency to respond to the yearnings of the Nigerian people to make more food available at the grassroots, 1,200 bags were made available to each minister to further supplement the established channels of distribution such as state governments and civic organisations.

“We need to reach out to our aged fathers and mothers at times like this to demonstrate the Omoluabi values of taking care of the old in the community.

“In the spirit of inclusion, it is important that we channel this intervention to mainly elderly citizens who do not have the strength to compete for welfare goods such as these at the established centres. We have taken their inventory and we are delivering to them.

“Subsequent interventions will target other segments of the populace such as widows, orphans, persons living with disabilities and students in higher institutions of learning.”