Coronavirus: Lagos to deliver food packs to residents

The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has unveiled a food provision project for the indigent and most vulnerable in the state in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the statement made available on the official Twitter page of Lagos State, the economic stimulus, which comes in form of food packs, will be distributed to every local government in the state and is aimed at cushioning the effect of the 14 days stay-at-home directive recently given to curb the pandemic.

Speaking after an assessment of one of the state-owned food banks in the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in Agege, Mr Sanwo-Olu said the economic stimulus will reduce the burden of the temporary economic downturn on the residents.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said the food packs will reach the most vulnerable communities and households across Lagos, saying “indigents who rely on daily wages will be given priority.”

The governor stated that the package “will touch at least 200,000 households in the first phase, adding that the food packs are produced for a size of six people per household and would last for at least fourteen days”.

The commissioner of agriculture, Gbolahan Lawal, earlier said the government would be working with the existing database of the state – using the Lagos State Social register and 4000 community development association registers in 377 wards.

He said the economic stimulus is part of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration’s initiatives tailored towards ensuring that food security is sustained in Lagos.

Lagos currently has over 40 cases of coronovirus and is currently referred to as the epicentre of the pandemic in Nigeria.