On the 27th of March, we published a story that the Lagos state government had announcement the commencement of the first phase of its economic stimulus package targeted at about 200, 000 homes. Governor Sanwo-Olu was roundly hailed for his good work but little did we know that what was in store for Lagosions was nothing short of a mockery.
Reports coming in from different parts of Lagos State show residents of communities showing off the palliative provisions they had received from the State Government, labeled “Covid-19 Emergency Food Response”. In every instance, the people were more than shocked at what they got.
In one report caught on video, Alhaji Hamzat, CDA Chairman for Taiwo Abbas Unit of Progressive Estate, showed off what they got for an area which included about 240 houses.
Their package included: 5Kg of rice, two sachets of tomato paste, some maggi cubes and a measure of beans.
Another area in Governor road Iganda got something similar for their entire area. The same thing was reported at Tijani Salako street in Bucknor Jakande Estate Ejigbo, with over hundred houses. They also got one of such bag.
These kinds of reports continue in other areas as shown in a number of videos circulating online.
At the Federal level, the Minister for Finance announced that about 2.6 million households had received N20,000 each in the last one week. As at the time of this report, we had yet to identify a single household that had received this money.
There are however reports that monies are being shared in the North. In fact, reports reaching us has it that residents of the Idi Araba area of Lagos, an area highly populated by Northerners, traveled back North en-mass last week. When we sought to find out why there was this mass exodus, a bike rider in the area informed us that they were told to come back home because monies were being shared.
In the South, where the largest donations to the Federal government came from, not one single household is known to have gotten any such funds.
We are now getting reports that the Military have started killing people in Warri and there are threats that protests will soon commence in different areas including Lagos as people are being forced to stay home without light and food. People are wondering where all the billions of naira donated by different individuals and companies have gone to.
The government of Nigeria must do well by its citizens and be seen to be doing so. Nigerians are tired of audio promises.