Mr Tajudeen Ajide, Chairman, Surulere Local Government, Lagos State, on Tuesday donated food items to 53 Community Development Associations (CDAs) in the area to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown in the council.
Ajide, who was represented by the Vice Chairman, Mr Sulaimon Yusuf, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the donation was part of the council’s efforts to support the vulnerable residents.
He said that the aim was to provide assistance to the vulnerable people in the council, especially the widows and aged, during the stay-at-home directive by the government.
“This exercise today is to ameliorate the sufferings of our people in the local government.
“We have heard so many complaints of people who have not receive any package of food stuffs.
“That is why we at the local government level have embarked on this course to follow what the state government is doing.
“We are distributing 20 bags of food stuffs through the CDAs, and as I speak, we are distributing over 3,000 food items consisting of 5kg of rice, 5kg garri, indomie noodles, sugar, salt among others.
“This package is target at those who cannot afford food items during this period.
“It is not for the whole community, but for specific people in the community who depend on relatives and government for support,” he said.
He appealed to residents to comply with all directives by both the Federal Government and Lagos State Government to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“The only way to curb this pandemic is to stay at home and follow governments’ instructions,” he said.
Addressing some of the beneficiaries, the Chairman of AJOWA CDA, Mr Emmanuel Kobi-Gold, expressed gratitude to the council boss and called for more palliatives for the vulnerable people in the society.
“We have been given packages about five packs which have been shared to the elderly people above the age of 60.
“The fact remains that we are a community of over 1,500 households. We would need more support from the government; we are yet to feel the impact of the state government,” he said.
Mrs Moji Adebayo, an elderly and a beneficiary of the relief package in the CDA, appreciated the local government chairman for giving out relief packages.
“I sincerely wish this gift is given to mostly the aged and the poor, they should focus more in the vulnerable, those who can’t move to fend for themselves and who live alone.
“The rich do not have any business with such items, we expect more, now that our governor may extend the restriction.
“My children are far away in Abuja and I can’t expect to see them or go to the market. I am 82 years, am just a strong woman,” Adebayo said.
NAN reports that the council chairman had earlier distributed hand sanitisers, hand washing buckets and soaps to residents and the primary health care centres in the council with continuous advocacy on healthy living. (NAN)