The Federal Government, on Friday, gave food palliative to Lagos State Government as part of measures to cushion the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on residents.
The Federal Government handed over a total of 6,000 bags of 50kg rice and two trucks of 20kg vegetable oil to the state.
Speaking during a visit to the Lagos House, Marina, Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, said that the palliative was at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to her, the palliative is to be distributed to the vulnerable in the society.
”We are here to pay a solidarity visit to the government and people of Lagos State on this unfortunate COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting us in the nation.
”It is also to follow up on the directive of Mr President to give out palliative to the affected states; Lagos, Ogun and FCT that is lockdown by FG.
”We are bringing food relief in terms of rice and condiment and secondly, we want to also flag off the Tradermoni and Marketmoni intervention of the FG,” Farouq said.
She said that the tradermoni and marketmoni initiatives had been in existence for some time, but the president had directed that the initiatives be expanded to include other vulnerable groups.
Responding, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, commended the president for always supporting the state.
”On behalf of the people and government of Lagos State, we want to thank Mr President for continuing to be the father of the nation and for leading the nation at this time,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He said that the Federal Government had started identifying from their database those that would enjoy intervention of tradermoni and marketmoni.
The governor said that the idea of the tradermoni and marketmoni was noble, as it was really meant to encourage and affect market women and men at various levels.
He said the food palliative would go into the state’s strategic COVID-19 Emergency Food Response, which distribution had entered the second phase.
According to him, what the Federal Government is giving the state is going into the third phase of distribution.
”What it means is for you to tell Lagosians that there is more than enough that we believe we will push down to citizens.
”If you don’t get in Phase One or Two, you will get in Phase Three. We will continue to review, so that we don’t give the same set of people every time,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He said that the state government was trying to handle the issue of logistics and urged residents to be patience, as government would ensure it got to them on time.
