As part of measures to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown, the Federal Government on Friday presented food consignment as a palliative to the Lagos State Government.
The food palliative made up of a total of 6,000 bags of 50 kilograms of rice and two trucks of 20kg vegetable oil to the state.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs Sadiya Farouq, during a visit to the state Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at Lagos House Marina, said that the palliative was at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to Farouq, the package was meant to be distributed to the vulnerable in society.
She said, ”We are here to pay a solidarity visit to the government and people of Lagos State on this unfortunate COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting us in the nation.
”It is also to follow up on the directive of Mr President to give out palliative to the affected state; Lagos, Ogun and Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, that is lockdown by FG.
”We are bringing food relief in term of rice and condiment and secondly we want to also flag off the Tradermoni and Marketmoni intervention of the FG.
She said that the tradermoni and marketmoni initiatives had been in existence for some time, but the president had directed that the initiatives be expanded to include other vulnerable groups.
Responding, Sanwo-Olu commended the president for always supporting the state, saying, ”On behalf of the people and government of Lagos State, we want to thank Mr President for continuing to be the father of the nation and for leading the nation at this time.”
He said the relief package would go into the state’s strategic COVID-19 Emergency Food Response, which its distribution had entered the second phase.
“What the federal government is giving the state is going into the third phase of distribution.
”What it means is for you to tell Lagosians that there is more than enough that we believe we will push down to citizens.
”If you dont get in Phase One or Two, you will get in Phase Three. We would continue to review, so that we dont give the same set of people everytime,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He added that the state government was trying to handle the issue of logistics and urged residents to be patience, as government would ensure it got to them on time.
Sanwo-Olu explained that the idea of the tradermoni and marketmoni was noble, as it was really meant to encourage and affect market women and men at various levels.
Vanguard
Leave a Reply