Palliatives not for your friends only - Sanwo-Olu warns LG against hoarding

News Agency Of Nigeria

April 24, 2024 5:20 PM

The governor commended Tinubu on the distribution of palliatives to states to cushion the effect of economic hardship.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has appealed to leaders of Community Development Areas (CDA) and Local Government authorities not to hoard palliatives put together by the state government for vulnerable residents.

The governor appealed for the flag off of the Lagos State Social Intervention Programme “Eko Cares” on Wednesday in Ikeja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that five representatives from the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) were present at the flag-off of the programme. NAN reports that food packs will be distributed to 500,000 vulnerable households under the social intervention programme.

"500,000 vulnerable households are to benefit from the Eko Care initiative through the LCDAs, CDAs and local governments.

“Please ensure that it gets to the vulnerable. Do not hoard it, let it serve the purpose for which it was created.

"The food is not only meant for those that greet you in the society or those that are your friends, it is meant for everyone.

"Also, the Sunday market at various locations across the state continues, we will continue to ensure that residents of our dear state live a stress -free life”, he said.

The governor commended President Bola Tinubu on the distribution of palliatives to states to cushion the effect of economic hardship. According to him, all 36 states have taken delivery of grains of different types from the Federal Government.

Sanwo-Olu restated the commitment of the state government to improving the welfare and well-being of residents. He said the payment of ₦35,000 allowance to augment the salary of civil servants was one of the ways the government was supporting residents in the face of the stark economy.

“Hopefully the new minimum wage will soon be announced,” he stated.

Sanwo-Olu urged residents to be diligent in their duties to the government to enable more delivery of democratic dividends.

“Take care of your environment, and obey environmental law, this is one of your civil responsibilities

“Be the eyes and ears of government in your community, protect public facilities, governance is a symbiotic relationship,” he added.

In the opening address, Gbenga Omotosho, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy said that Eko Cares was a comprehensive response of the Lagos State Government to the temporary hardship occasioned by the global economic crises.

“It is, thus, not surprising that “Mr Talk and Do” is fulfilling the promise which he made during the media chat on February 22 – to unveil a comprehensive package of socio-economic interventions to reduce the current hardship in the land,” he noted.

Samuel Adewuyi, the Chairman Alimosho Community Development Committee (CDC), Alimosho told NAN that his community had benefitted immensely from the palliatives.

"We’re so grateful to the governor and his entire cabinet, we know that the palliatives will go far like the one we got in October.

"In October we got 400 bags of rice, 300 bags of cassava flakes (garri) and 200 bags of beans.

If we don’t share accordingly our community won’t allow us to represent them again,” he said.

News Agency Of Nigeria