The Chairman of Badagry Local Government Area, Mr Olusegun Onilude, on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 distributed 1,000 sacks of food to residents to cushion the effect of subsidy removal on petrol.
Speaking shortly before the distribution, Onilude said the subsidy removal had affected prices of goods and made life difficult for many Nigerians.
“There is no doubt that things are very hard, but I’m having the belief that the hardship is a temporal one.
“Very soon, this hardship will pass away and we will have a better Nigeria where all of us will eat very well,” Onilude said.
He said that the Badagry council had equally joined the Lagos State and the Federal Government to provide food palliative to cushion the effect on residents of the area.
“We are providing 1,000 sacks of food items to our people to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy.
“Because some people cannot come here today due to old age, we will be visiting and giving them the sacks at their doorsteps.
“Each sack contains 5kg of rice, 5kg of beans, 5kg of Garri, salt and maggi,” he said.
He said that the council had met with transport unions to help in slashing the transport fare.
“In the health sector, we made child delivery free of charge. Next month, we will continue this programme, it may not be these food items, we may go for other items,” he said.
The chairman urged residents to avoid unnecessary expenses.
“Extravagance should be cut off. Just go for what you need, don’t go on unnecessary journey that will make you to spend money that is not available.
“Car owners should reduce their strolling, we should go to where it is important,” he said.
Alhaja Risikat Padonu, the Supervisory Councilor, Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Badagry, said the palliative was organised to reduce hardship. She said that the three tiers of government had put forward proactive measures to provide relief package to the people.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr John Oke, a 67-year-old man from Isalu community in Badagry, said the food items would help his family for days. He commended the chairman for giving them the food items and prayed that his government would continue to progress.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was attended by top government officials, councilors, as well as residents of Badagry and its environs.