The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday, flagged off the distribution of food items for 500,000 vulnerable households to cushion the effects of the removal of fuel subsidies by the Federal government.
Speaking during the flag-off of the Lagos Food Bank Programme at Lagos House, Ikeja, the Governor said the programme would directly impact 500,000 benefitting households, noting that over 2,500 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises were involved in bag manufacturing, food aggregation, packaging, and logistics, while over 25,000 employees of the MSMEs will be indirectly impacted.
According to him, the food bank programme is part of the social and economic intervention programmes to ameliorate the pains some Lagosians are experiencing due to the increase in transportation costs and food prices.
“The strategic goal of this programme is to reach 500,000 vulnerable households in the State with staple food items using two methodologies – bulk food items (50kg Rice, 50kg Garri and 100kg Beans) for groups, and food boxes (10kg Rice, 5kg Garri, and 5kg Beans) for individual vulnerable households.
“The distribution of the food items to vulnerable households will be done through Groups, Institutions, Non-governmental Organisations, Community Development Committees, People Living with Disability and Social Protection Department in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget using the Social Register of Vulnerable in the State.
“To ensure transparency in the implementation of this intervention, a Monitoring Committee with members drawn from religious groups, Trade Unions, People with Disability, Civil Society/Non-Governmental organisations, Youth Groups, Community Development Councils and representatives of the Lagos State House of Assembly will be constituted,” he said.
He further acknowledged the challenges members of the public are experiencing, stating that it is pivotal in repositioning the nation’s economy on the path of sustainable development and prosperity.
He said: “Let me assure all Lagosians that we acknowledge the economic challenges being experienced at this time. The policies being implemented right now by the Federal government are difficult but necessary measures that must be taken to reposition our economy on the path of sustainable development and prosperity for all citizens.
“I am therefore appealing for the continued understanding of all Lagosians with the assurance that we will do everything within our capacity to implement measures that will cushion this temporary pain as we continue to initiate programmes and projects that will uplift our people and provide quality living conditions to all.”
3rd September 2023
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