Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has announced a series of “hardship relief measures,” including the reintroduction of Sunday markets offering a 25% discount on food items and a 25% reduction in transport fares.
The announcement was made on Friday by the Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, during an interview on TVC News. Omotoso emphasized that these initiatives are part of the government’s ongoing efforts to support Lagosians and were not merely a response to the recent #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests.
In addition to the discounts on food and transport, the relief measures include free medical outreach treatments, free delivery services for expectant women in hospitals, and vocational training programmes.
Omotoso highlighted the popularity and positive impact of these measures, noting, “Millions of Lagosians benefited from the 25% discount on food items, and that is why it is so popular and they are asking that we bring it back.”
He further explained that the state government has been proactive in its efforts to support residents, citing recent vocational training programs.
“Only day before yesterday, thousands of graduates from our vocational centers were given equipment to start their own businesses. Such people will not come out to protest. This is what we have been doing ever before the notice for the protest came, and this is what we are going to continue to do,” he said.
When asked if these measures were intended to quell the ongoing nationwide hunger protest, Omotoso clarified that the initiatives were already in place before the protests began.
He stressed that the government’s commitment to these programs is longstanding and not a reactionary measure.
Reflecting on the protests, which have been ongoing for two days with eight days remaining according to the schedule, Omotoso acknowledged the importance of communication and peaceful resolution
“What we have seen as a key takeaway from the protest is that we need to be communicating all the time, and we need to ensure that violence pays nobody. Chaos can take you to the battlefront but cannot fight for you. That is the lesson we have seen, and once again, we have to tell the protesters that it is time to go home,” he stated.
Omotoso commended the protesters for their orderly conduct and expressed the need for dialogue to address their concerns.
“They have been comporting themselves in an orderly manner, but it is now the time for us to sit down and analyze the issues. Everybody now knows what they want, and everybody will now go back to the drawing board and see how we can meet them at a point and iron things out,” he concluded.
