As part of efforts to cushion the impact of the rising cost of living in the country which has led to economic hardship, the Lagos State government will soon commence the distribution of food packs to residents of the state.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said this while briefing journalists at the State House, Ikeja. He reeled out palliative measures to cushion the effects on residents.
Sanwo-Olu said his administration in addition to subsisting initiatives would commence the distribution of food packs such as rice, beans and cassava flour (otherwise known as garri) to vulnerable people in the state, noting that the palliative items would be distributed through Community Development Associations, CDAs, and religious bodies, like churches, mosques, and local governments.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government had announced the approval of N5 billion for each state and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to enable state governments to procure food items for distribution to the poor in their respective states.
The state governors were also to procure additional 100,000 bags of rice, 40,000 bags of maize, and fertilizers. 52 per cent of the funds were given to the state governments as grants with 48 per cent as loans.
While other states have commenced distribution of the N5billion Federal Government palliatives in the state, Lagos State rolled out a strategic distribution programme. It, however, restated commitment to making sure that distribution process was non-partisan, transparent and credible.
Sanwo-Olu earlier met with the chairmen of 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas, directing them to commence distribution of palliative through disbursement of funds.
He said the palliative is only one of the many steps the government has taken to relieve people of the difficulties arising from the fuel subsidy removal and strengthen the economy.
While some of the local governments have commenced distribution, some were yet to make any public move. The development has even generated different reactions from residents who believed palliative was not enough.
The state government equally urged private sector, individuals to adopt food hub model towards boosting food sufficiency in the state thereby in complementing state efforts.
Sanwo-Olu, last month said the government will engage the services of canteens locally known as mama put to feed between 1,000 to 1,500 residents daily in each of the LGAs of the state.
We did it also during COVID-19, we want to identify Mama Put and caterers. We want to be able to feed between 1,000 and 1,500 in every local government per day at the first instance, for the next 30 to 60 days, he said.
