Lockdown palliatives: Lagos feeds 100,000 youths daily, distributes food to 250,000, transfer fund to 250,000

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, on Tuesday, introduced a bumper scheme to provide palliatives for residents of the state towards alleviating the harsh effects of the coronavirus extended lockdown by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Governor Sanwo-Olu announced the palliatives less than 24 hours President Buhari, in a nationwide broadcast on Monday night, extended the restriction of movement in Lagos, Ogun State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to another two weeks as the initial two weeks lockdown period expired.

At a briefing after the State Security Council meeting at the State House, Marina, on Tuesday, Governor Sanwo-Olu acknowledged the social intervention programmes which include the Food Stimulus Packages being distributed to 250,000 vulnerable residents since the lockdown order two weeks ago.

The Governor disclosed that the State Government was moved by the need to support and ameliorate the inconvenience being experienced by vulnerable people as occasioned by the extended lockdown.

The Lagos State Government is, therefore, opening food kitchens in all the local councils in the State with a target to provide one meal per day to 100,000 youths.

Sanwo-Olu also announced unconditional cash transfer of undisclosed amount to 250,000 vulnerable residents and economically challenged persons who have identification numbers with Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA).

Governor Sanwo-Olu further granted three months moratorium to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and entrepreneurs that procured repayable loans from the Lagos State Employment Trust Funds (LSETF), deferring the payment of accruing interests by the loan beneficiaries.

Sanwo-Olu also ordered immediate release of all private and commercial vehicles impounded from March 1, 2020 for minor traffic offences by the police, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Vehicle Inspection Agency (VIO) to date.

The Governor explained that the new palliatives were carefully drawn out to bring succour to greater number of indigent people and those eking out living from daily wages.

Sanwo-Olu declared: “Before the first set of stay-at-home directives, I announced a welfare package for the indigent and vulnerable segment of the society.  Though we encountered some hitches along the way, we have since revised the process and have now seen a mark of improvement in the distribution of the relief packages that is being carried out in a dignifying manner and in full compliance with all public health directives and guidelines.

“Today, I am pleased to announce additional palliatives for our citizens to further ameliorate the inconvenience occasioned by this extended lockdown. In the next couple of days, we will commence a daily ‘Food Kitchen’ programme with the target to feed about 100,000 people daily.  This will largely target the youths.

“We are also cleaning up our data from our various social registers to get a clean list of truly vulnerable and economically challenged persons to enable us remit some cash to them.  We aim to do these cash transfers by the end of the week to a minimum of 250,000 indigent citizens.

“All the MSMEs and SMEs that took LSETF loans and got supports from other Government’s financial incentive programme will enjoy a three months moratorium.

“With immediate effect, I have ordered the police, LASTMA and the VIO to release all impounded vehicles arrested for minor traffic offences from the 1st of March.”