Coronavirus Pandemic: Lagos Set To Feed 200,000 indigenes

The Lagos State Government has rolled out economic stimulus package for citizens and the most vulnerable in the society following the stay-at-home directive of the government to curtail the further spread of the novel Coronavirus in the state.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who disclosed this after his assessment of one of the state-owned food banks yesterday in Agege, said the stimulus will come in food packs and will be distributed to every local government in the state, reaching at least 200,000 in the first phase.

He said the food packs produced for a size of six people per household will reach the indigent  communities and households across Lagos, adding that, the indigents who rely on daily wages will be given priority.

Sanwo-Olu Said, 

"We are all aware that this is a trying time for our citizens and since the partial drop in economic activities, our government deemed it necessary to reach out to the vulnerable ones in the society".

He added,

"These people are those that fall below the pyramid, the aged and the physically challenged who need to move from one part of the city to another for them to have a living. We felt that as a government, the least we can do is to identify them and give them these stimulus packages immediately,”

Continuing, he said,

“We have packaged dry food stimulus for about 200,000 families in the first instance for a household of husband, wife and about four children".

He later said "We would be giving bags of rice, bags of beans, garri, bread, dry pepper and we are trying to see if we can add water and some elements of vitamin C. Each ration, we believe is going to be able to last them at least minimum of 14 days so that our advocacy around ‘stay at home’, ‘stay with your loved ones’ will be respected.” 

It should be noted that, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal earlier said that the government will work with the existing database of the state, using the Lagos State Social register and 4,000 community development association registered in 377 wards. 

It would be recalled that, Nigeria has recorded 81 positive cases since the outbreak of coronavirus in the country, 1 death and has discharged 3 recovered patients.