Feb. 22, 2024

… To Feed 1,500 Residents Daily in All LG Through Soup Kitchens

… Introduces More Palliatives to Cover Public, Private Sectors

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has announced a 25 per cent reduction on the Bus Rapid Transit, rail and other state public transport systems beginning from this weekend.

The Governor made this known during a Live Media Chat with the title, “Enhancing Food Security”, noting that though the Government cannot do everything and be everywhere at the same time, the decision is borne out of the need to reduce the burden and take off some of the pressure Lagosians are facing at the moment.

Sanwo-Olu said, “First it is necessary to express one’s deepest sympathy with our citizens. To say one does not know what is going on now will be completely insensitive. And I want to look straight into the camera and say indeed, we all have a responsibility to do a better job of ourselves. As leaders, it is not for us to give excuses but to solve the socio-economic problems of our people”.

While revealing that his Government is ready to give people food palliatives, the Governor said 100 trailers of rice are on their way to Lagos at the moment, and the food packaging and distribution is expected to get to over 300,000 households within the State

The Governor said that the palliatives that his administration is bringing will cut across both the private and public sectors and the first one after the 25% reduction in transport cost will be the introduction of Soup Kitchens across all 57 Local Governments and LCDAs that will feed at least 1,000 to 1,500 residents in each of the LGs.

Mr. Governor further disclosed that his administration is organising and planning towards opening 42 Sunday Markets where people can go and buy foodstuff at a 25% rebate, stressing, however, that what the people can buy will be capped at N25,000 each.

He added that the pilot phase has already started in Idi Oro market with Lagos State Government working with the Local Governments and leaders of the markets towards a successful takeoff.

The Chief Executive Officer of the State further revealed that going forward, Civil Servants from GL 1-14 will only be going to work three times a week while the directorate cadre will only go to work four times a week. He averred that the State Government is ready to give additional transport support to teachers as they would still be going to work five times a week while health workers can still go on with their flexible work regimes.

While announcing that his administration is setting up an economic advisory team to serve as his Think Tank, the Governor said that henceforth all government hospitals will give free birth delivery whether normal birth or through a caesarean operation

Bearing in mind that there are Lagosians whose major needs are quality healthcare and not food, the Governor disclosed that the State’s free Health Mission is about to kick off and Lagosians would be given a total medical check-up as well as drugs and others by competent medical professionals who will set up tents across the six divisions of the State.

Appealing to MSMEs, Governor Sanwo-Olu enjoined them to be more creative and give flexible work hours as the situation right now is not about stakeholders’ gain or profit first and foremost but taking care of one another.

“We did it during COVID-19. We did it as a people then. We supported ourselves. It is time to pull together and weather the storm. No situation stays the same forever”, the Governor encouraged.

Sanwo-Olu said pregnant women in Lagos State will enjoy free delivery all over the 31 State General Hospitals.

“Both natural deliveries and Caesarian Section are now free in all state general hospitals,” he said.

The governor said the six health districts in the state would also carry out health missions, twice a week, to provide health checks for residents.

“There will be doctors and nurses on ground, this takes effect from next week,” he said.

The governor disclosed these while speaking to journalists on measures to ease pressure faced by residents of the state in the face of hardship following rising cost of living.

This is coming in the wake of groanings across the country on the sharp rise in cost of living resulting from the removal of subsidy on petrol and the devaluation of the Naira after abolition of multiple official foreign exchange rates.

He said that the state, on its part, had decided to reduce the number of days in which its workers would come to work, to ease pressure on the staff.

“This doesn’t mean that there won’t be personnel to provide services for the public. It will be rotational.

“Also, we will go the local governments for our soup bowls initiative, we have identified caterers to partner with.

“We will feed 1000 to 1500 persons in each local government per day, in the first instance for 30 to 60 days,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said that students needed to be in school everyday, so the government would work out transport allowance for teachers to be able to be there.

He said he had also cleared arrears of pensions of retirees, with the exception of the 2023 set, which would be sorted soon.

“We are deliberate on bringing succour to our people,” he said.

In the area of Agriculture, Lagos State government reiterated its commitment to food security in the state.

“As we speak we’re soon going to receive 100 trailers of rice, for food purchase and redistribution, what this means is that there’s a limit to what an individual can buy. This will checkmate the possibility of hoarding.

“We intend to open food hubs like we did at Mushin, we plan on replicating this at other local government areas.

“We intend to focus partnership with other states where we have lands to ensure food security in the state,” he said.

He said that Sunday markets would be opened in 42 markets to buy food items at 25 per cent reduced cost.

Sanwo-Olu said that the state would cap what a person could buy, at not more than N25000 worth.

“On education, he said all government schools should desist from demanding for tax clearance from parents and guardians for enrollment of their children, to reduce out-of-school children.

Gov. Sanwo-Olu said the state was insisting that landlords should not collect more than one year rent, urging residents to report defaulting people to the government.

He said there must also be a stop to the dollarisation of the economy to make things better.

Sanwo-Olu said the governments of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo were working together to light up the stretch of Lagos Ibadan expressway.

He said his journey since assumption of office had not been without challenges.

“Our resilience paved way and we got emboldened to move past the challenges, and since then, we haven’t looked back. We keep building on all verticals,” the governor said.