- Unfolds relief package for residents
- Targets 200,000 households in first phase
Alarmed at the rapid rate coronavirus spreads in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic nerve centre and the nation’s most thickly populated state, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has alerted of an imminent shutdown to restrain the rampaging affliction from spreading further to cause damage.
As at late Friday, Lagos, according to the National Centre for Disease Control, had 44 cases, which is over 50 percent of the total 81 number officially recorded in the country.
In a live broadcast at the State House, Marina, on Friday evening, the concerned governor said that curfew may be imposed in the state with the increasing cases of coronavirus.
Sanwo-Olu said: “We are moving to the direction of curfew, but there are indices and numbers we need to see, we haven’t seen that number yet to warrant a curfew.
“The disease is not a respecter of anybody. It doesn’t look at class, gender or race, everybody is at risk, that is why we need to obey the rules and regulations set for ourselves.”
He said once the state recorded a certain number of positive coronavirus cases, Lagos would be totally shutdown in a bid to save lives.
The governor urged Lagosians to stay indoor if they were not on essential services, saying that government did not want to shutdown the state’s economy totally, but warned that once that certain figure was reached, government would have no option than to shutdown the state.
Sanwo-Olu lamented that there had been increase in confirmed cases which had reached 44, with six additional cases recorded in a vessel in Lagos on Thursday.
He said with three people already discharged, the government was looking at discharging five or six more patients who had now tested negative.
Sanwo-Olu said once they recorded a confirmatory negative test, they would be discharged.
The governor added that government would start free distribution of food to about 200,000 households, such as rice, garri, bread, beans, among others to last each household for a period of two weeks.
He also said government had opened about 50 temporary markets in public schools in the neighbourhood where people could purchase foodstuff at cheaper rate, saying that the markets would be opened every two days.
The governor appealed to Lagosians to refrain from gathering in large number, saying he expected maximum compliance from them .
Also, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the state government had begun fumigation of public places, such as parks, bus stops, among others, saying that the exercise would last until Sunday.
Currently, the majority of cases were imported to the country from high-risk nations such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and other European countries.
Meanwhile, the governor has unveiled an economic stimulus package for the indigent and the most vulnerable in the State, following government’s order that residents should stay at home.
The stimulus, which comes in food packs to be distributed to every local government in the State, is aimed at cushioning the effect of the 14 days stay-at-home directive.
Speaking after an on-the-spot assessment of one of the State-owned food banks, located inside the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in Agege, Sanwo-Olu said the economic stimulus would reduce the burden of the temporary economic downturn on the citizens caused by the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
He said the food packs, which were put together by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, would reach the most vulnerable communities and households across Lagos. He added that the indigents who rely on daily wages would be given priority.
According to him: ‘‘We are here for an on-the-spot assessment of our readiness, to see how we can fast track some of our stimulus packages for our citizens. We are all aware that this is a trying time for them and given the partial drop in economic activities, our government deemed it necessary to reach out to the vulnerable ones in society. 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.’’
The Governor stated that the package will touch at least 200,000 households in the first phase, adding that the food packs were produced for size of six people per household and would last for at least 14 days.
Sanwo-Olu said: “We have packaged dry food stimulus for about two hundred thousand families in the first instance for a household of husband, wife and about four children. 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 last them for at least minimum of 14 days. This is to ensure that our advocacy around a stay at home with your loved ones is respected.
“This is a catalytic initiative of our administration with the hope that well-meaning corporate organisations and private individuals can step up to complement our efforts.’’
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince 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 register 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.
