PISE-P: Kalu launches “Food for Peace” initiative, distributes over 6000 bags of food items across Abia, S’East

By Christiana Ekpa

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has launched the “Food For Peace” initiative.
Held in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, Sunday night, the launch is consistent with the 8 pillars of the recently unveiled Peace In South East Project (PISE-P), a novel idea initiated by the deputy speaker which canvasses a non kinetic approach to resolving the security challenges of the south east.
Subsumed under the agriculture and food security pillar of PISE-P, the event captioned “A Hungry Man is an Angry Man” recognizes the importance of food in the drive for peace in the region hence its quick implementation.
It will be the first step towards implementing the food for peace programme.
The launch witnessed the distribution of food items across the 17 local government areas of Abia State and other areas in the region.
The details showed that over 6000 bags of rice, 150 bags of beans, 80 bags of garri, 3000 cartoons of spaghetti, 100 cartoons of vegetable oil and 3000, pieces of wrappers were distributed across the LGAs and other places.
The launch also featured the distribution of motorcycles, deep freezers, sewing and grinding machines, big capacity generators and pesticides sprinkling kits.
Others were several pieces of wrapper, sleeping mats, blankets, mosquito nets, children’s clothes and broadcade clothes, recording thousands of beneficiaries.
While it is expected that the motorcycles will be used to access the farmlands in the hinterlands, the pesticide spraying machines will also help to keep the farms healthy just as generators and the deep freezers among others items will also serve some useful purposes in the agricultural value chain.
Kalu before the distribution of the items, met with the coordinators in the State and emphasized the need for peace.
Notiing that “a hungry man is an angry man”, he told the people that in the weeks ahead, PISE-P will unveil other phases of the programme which included infrastructural developments to sufficiently better the lots of the citizenry.
The deputy speaker also solicited support for the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led federal government, stressing that the south east stood a chance to benefit immensely.
He said: “It is time for unity, it is time for peace. That is the only way we can rebuild our region: Peace and unity.
Our hard work will only pay when we do it in peace and unity. It is a new dawn for South East. The sense of belonging and importance that you need, this is the time to have it.
“Preach the good news for people to draw closer to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He means well for Ndi Igbo. He has shown us love by appointing the Chief of Naval Staff, an Igbo man to take care of Nigeria’s economy that is dependent on oil and gas. Yes, the security of oil and gas is handled by the Navy and he gave to an Igbo Man, saying to Igbos, take care of the economy of Nigeria. If he has that confidence in Ndi Igbo to say that the oil and gas infrastructure should be protected by an Igbo, I can assure you that all is well with Ndi Igbo.
“If he will also insist on your son to be the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives and for another to be Minister of Works, then, he mens well.”