Maduka Nweke
Alaro City, the new satellite city being built in the Lekki Free Zone, has commenced various initiatives to assist Lagos State battle the COVID-19 pandemic and support Lagos residents during the crisis.
The distribution of relief items for targeted communities in the state commenced last week with the donation of 500 bags of rice and other relief materials to the Epe community. Alaro City has also embarked on a civic education campaign aimed at boosting awareness on effective ways of combating the pandemic. Top executives of the organisation have also partnered with the Lagos branch of a global leadership community of business executives to fund the construction of a COVID-19 treatment/isolation centre in Eti Osa Local Government Area, which has been identified as the area with the highest number of infected cases in the state.
Odunayo Ojo, CEO of Alaro City, said the government’s effort – particularly Lagos State government led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu – to contain the spread of the virus and support communities in need were commendable and required the support of all stakeholders. “While the pandemic has made things inconvenient for everyone, we recognise that there are people who have had it worse,” he said. “Therefore, this modest intervention is our own way of helping our communities and assisting government at all levels to effectively contain the Coronavirus by getting people to stay at home. We have started with Epe, which is our host community, and will also reach other communities across the state.”
Ojo stated that Alaro City has partnered with the media in sensitising the public on effective ways of limiting the spread of the pandemic, saying “public enlightenment is vital and needs to be sustained to enable Lagosians and Nigerians beat this virus.’’
He added: “We are channelling resources through key media partnerships to ensure people remain sufficiently educated and enlightened on the right steps to take in limiting the spread of Coronavirus. We will also continue to support the government in battling this pandemic.”
Beneficiaries of the relief items distributed in Epe thanked Alaro City for the assistance. Sunday Dada, a resident in Epe, expressed gratitude for the support which he said came at a vital time. “I want to use this opportunity to thank Alaro City for this assistance during such a period as this COVID-19 (crisis). God bless Nigeria; God bless Lagos State; God bless Alaro City.”