Sanwo-Olu Inaugurates ‘Eko Cares’, 300,000 Households To Get Combo Packs Of Palliative
By People’s Voice | News
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday launched the ‘Eko Cares’ program. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, explained through a press release that the initiative is both a part and continuation of the Sanwo-Olu-led government’s bold efforts to lighten the burden of its residents, particularly the economically vulnerable.
The Commissioner said ‘EKO CARES’ is a comprehensive response of the Lagos State Government to the temporary hardship occasioned by global economic crises.
“Eko Cares”, which is being unveiled today, is an aggregate of all the measures designed to ease the pain of our vulnerable citizens who have no one else to turn to for succour. ‘Ounje Eko’, an integral part of ‘Eko Cares’, has already kicked off across the State.” Said Omotoso in a statement.
Recall, on February 22, 2024, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, speaking during a media chat in Ikeja had promised to unveil a comprehensive package of socio-economic interventions to reduce the current hardship on Lagosians.
For the sixth Sunday running, residents troop out to buy various items at the Sunday Markets where they enjoyed an unprecedented 25% discount on all food items.
Basic foods such as rice, beans, garri, egg, bread, pepper, and tomatoes, among others, were sold at the markets by designated vendors.
According to Omotoso’s statement, “feedback received from the programme has been inspiring, with excited residents praising the government for its empathy and thoughtfulness”.
Besides the “Ounje Eko” initiative, food items, which include 10kg rice, 5kg gari, 5kg beans, and tomatoes, amongst others, all in combo packs, will be distributed to over 300,000 households.
The statement also revealed that EKO CARES is being supervised by the Special Dispensation Advisory Committee on Social Interventions (SPEDAC), an eleven-man, non-partisan body set up to advise the government on the various initiatives lined up to help the poor weather the storm.
While appreciates Governor Sanwo-Olu for the various interventional measures Putin placed in his administration, which he says have touched the lives of Lagosians in diverse ways, including transportation, medical health, agriculture, provision of food items and reduction of the number of work days for civil servants, Omotoso said Wednesday’s official inauguration of ‘Eko Cares’ is” a testament that this administration will break all barriers to make life better for every Lagosian until the global economic decline gradually goes away”.
Thank you Mr. Governor for making this happen; thank you for the discounts given in the transportation and agriculture sectors to make life bearable for Lagosians in the face of economic hardship; thank you for the free medical benefits to our families and thank you for staying the course of empathy.
Please, permit me to end this address by quoting Pope Francis, who on a visit to Washington in 2015, said: “We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love. Be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.” He wrote.
