YES, A MARKET FOR ALL

 Lagos State’s subsidised food market is helping to ease the pangs of hunger, especially for low-income earners, writes Adebayo Olorundara

For three weeks running, the administration of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has demonstrated compassion and empathy towards the people of the state who are grappling with hardship and record food inflation that has put remarkable pressure on household incomes.

A raft of well-thought out interventions ranging from healthcare support for vulnerable people, cut in transport fares for all government-controlled public transportation, reduced work days for government workers, subsidised drugs, consideration of enforcement of monthly housing rent and provision of food stuffs at a highly subsidised rate.

The cries of hunger that permeate the land have begun to ease following the interventions of the government. Ounje Eko, literally translated as Lagos Food came to the rescue of Lagosians, particularly middle and low income earners. 

True to his promise, the Governor opened Sunday markets across the State, where Lagosians buy staple foods at a highly subsidised rate. It was a direct intervention at crashing the soaring prices of foods, which are artificially manipulated by merchants and middle men for crazy profiteering. 

The government alternative market raised the hope of people who were being oppressed and exploited by traders.  

The Commissioner for Information in Lagos State, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, who spoke on behalf of the government said the expected outcomes were achieved with the prices of food gradually coming down. The commissioner enjoined residents to look out for prices of the items displayed in each locality as they might slightly differ in different locations, just as he disclosed that a new market location had also been introduced in Lekki Phase 1 to cater to the needs of residents within the area. 

“The Ounjè Èko market pilot scheme began on Sunday, March 17 with sales of discounted food items, such as rice, beans, garri, bread, eggs, and perishables – tomato, pepper, rodo and onions.

“Local food vendors have witnessed increased sales since the exercise started, just as residents in each locality are excited at the low prices.

“The activities in each market are coordinated by LASG officials, youth volunteers, private sector payment solution providers, and local government officials to ensure seamless operations,” Omotoso stated. 

The success story of the Ounje Eko has reverberated across the country. It has become a model for state-intervention programmes for food security. Taming the profiteering antics of shylock middlemen by sourcing the grains and other farm produce from the farmers and manufacturers have put check to the nefarious activities of traders who are least concerned about the survival of their neighbours.

The Ounje Eko intervention is just a short term measure to ease the pangs of hunger and create stability within the polity. There is a larger project to ensure sustainable food security for millions of Lagosians. The Imota Rice Mill is one of the many audacious projects that has placed Lagos under Governor Sanwo-Olu on the global stage. The rice mill in Imota is 22 hectares big, with the mill itself occupying 8.5 hectares. It is reputed to be the largest mill in Africa and the third largest mill in the world.

It is an integrated mill with two warehouses and 16 silos (each with a capacity of 2,500 tonnes, 25 metres high, 40-year life). The mill operates in two lines that receive, pre-clean, boil, dry, sort, hull, polish and bag the rice. According to Demola Amure, senior partner, the mill is described as the “Rolls-Royce” of rice mills.

The rice mill has a capacity to produce 2.8 million bags of 50 kg bags of rice yearly, while generating 1,500 direct jobs and 254,000 indirect jobs. Based on the estimated installed infrastructure of the facility, the production capacity of the rice mill in Imota will set it among the largest in the world, and the largest in sub-Saharan Africa.

Also, under the dynamic leadership of Governor Sanwo-Olu, Africa’s largest food logistics is roaring. The Lagos Food Security Systems and Central Logistics Park is currently under 

construction in Ketu-Ereyun, Epe. When completed, it will be the largest food logistics centre in sub-saharan Africa. These among others are great innovative ways the government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been managing the affairs of Lagos. Those who were in doubt about the governor’s ambitious plan to turn around the socio-economic well-being of the people are having a rethink.

The primary responsibility of the government as enshrined in the constitution is very clear – security and welfare of the people. On these two fronts, the government has delivered exceptionally.  

Aside from the subsidised food market, the government has also provided grains and other food items to many at the bottom of the pyramid through the Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, across the entire state.  

The mortal and bricks, expansive road network and infrastructure development under governor Sanwo-Olu could not have been completed if he failed to ensure that physiological needs, particularly food for the people, were met. 

The people of Lagos are experiencing purposeful leadership of Mr Sanwo-Olu in all aspects of life. Lagosians will also remember him for being a compassionate governor who truly cares about their wellbeing.

 Olorundara writes from Lagos