SWEET LAND OF PALLIATVES

Lagos State has kick-started subsidising some sectors to cushion rising cost of living, writes James Agbekorode

The past one month has been tough, to say the least. With the removal of fuel price subsidy, many Nigerians are feeling the heat as they go about their daily activities. Prices of basic goods and services have spiralled, skyrocketing out of the reach of many people. In Lagos, the country’s commercial nerve-centre, it’s been a trying time. But thanks to the Lagos State government for seeking ways to assuage the living costs.

While the federal government is yet to roll out palliative measures it announced, Lagos State under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has jump started the roll of palliatives.

From August 2, it announced the slashing of fares by half on its state-owned transport system which include buses, cabs and ferries. Also, the government negotiated a 25% reduction in fares with the transport unions on privately-owned commercial buses and tricycles. While not all the yellow buses are complying with the negotiation, Lagos State-owned transport services have rescued Lagosians with the halved fare now charged.

Also, all Lagos State General Hospitals and Primary Health Centres are providing free antenatal care and child delivery services to pregnant women resident in the state. Also, caesarean section to expectant mothers was included as part of the announced relief measures. That started on August 1, 2023. And following the directive, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, recently carried out compliance monitoring visits to some state hospitals including the Ifako-Ijaiye and Isolo General Hospitals. He expressed satisfaction at the level of compliance to the free ante-natal and child delivery services in hospitals visited and noted that the implementation of the free ante-natal care and child delivery services will help improve maternal and child health indices in Lagos.

“The governor recognised that the cost of ante-natal care and child delivery services would add to the burden of fuel subsidy removal on cost of living for expectant parents, and this is why the governor announced the free medical intervention as part of the rolled out measures to ease off the burden,” said Ogboye.

“I am impressed by the level of compliance to Mr. Governor’s free ante-natal and child delivery service directive at the health facilities visited. Having gone round the ANC clinics, post-delivery wards and baby nurseries at the Ifako-Ijaiye and Isolo General Hospitals, it is heart-warming to see the smiles on the faces of newly born and their parents. 

“I would like to thank the management of these hospitals and the health workers for quickly putting in place modalities and carrying out the governor’s directive to the letter, this is an indication that all government institution are in sync regarding the harsh reality of fuel subsidy removal and the intervention to ameliorate the suffering of citizens.”

But so important is this palliative to Sanwo-Olu that he also embarked on a monitoring visit and also paid unscheduled visits to the Island Maternity Hospital on Lagos Island and the General Hospital, Odan, where an elevator tragedy that claimed the life of a medical doctor, Dr Vwaere Diaso, recently happened.

According to a statement released by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, at the Island Maternity Hospital, Sanwo-Olu met a 37- year- old pregnant woman, Omowunmi Odeyemi, who was on admission, and confirmed that the hospital was providing free healthcare to her in compliance with the palliative.

“My husband and I live in Abule Egba, where I started antenatal care at a private clinic,” said Odeyemi to the governor. 

“I was seven and half months into my pregnancy when they discovered that my blood pressure was too high. My husband feared that I might lose the pregnancy again, having had two successive miscarriages.

“We were referred to the Island Maternity Hospital for advanced medical examination when doctors told me I must be admitted for continued observation. My husband did not want me admitted initially because of the cost. But we were told the care is completely free. We didn’t believe it until I started getting treatment without anyone asking us to pay a dime.”

Since the free medical services commenced, hundreds of pregnant women have benefited from the free deliveries and antenatal care across the Lagos-owned hospitals. But to ensure strict compliance with things on ground, Sanwo-Olu said: “I need to come and see things for myself to know where our intervention is specifically and generally needed.”

Also, realising the important place of food in human lives, at the end of July, Sanwo-Olu had said the state through various stakeholders including “civil society groups, CDCs and CDAs, and our various Churches and Mosques, our traditional rulers, our local governments” would share foodstuffs as well as other basic necessities. Recent developments have shown the state is walking the talk.

Last month, the Chairman of Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos, Olusegun Odunmbaku, initiated free bus transportation within the council. And just last week, Odumbaku organised an event at the Council Secretariat where foodstuffs were sold at a subsidised price. For as low as N1000, residents bought a food pack consisting of rice, beans, yam, cooking oil and others. While Odunmbaku said the initiative is to complement the palliative efforts of both the state and federal governments, he also said it was part of activities to mark his second anniversary as chairman.

In a similar vein, Apapa Local Government also of Lagos State has rolled out its transportation and food palliative measures that will run for six months. According to the council chairman, Idowu Adejumoke Senbanjo, every Nigerian is entitled to this palliative, as it has no political, religious or tribal colouration.

“We have a transportation palliative where we have involved the use of 100 buses,” she said. 

“We have already met with the transporters and their unions and they have agreed to be part of this project. They charge N200 per drop but with our new arrangement, it will now be N100 per drop. This is only for buses plying Apapa routes.”

Regarding the food palliative, the council boss said: “We do not intend to give out food but have instead asked all residents of Apapa to come and register. We are giving out N10,000 per household and this will be distributed to 1000 people, and we are looking at a six months process. We expect that this money will be used to buy foodstuff from the market. This is a time when we need to support each other and see ourselves as Nigerians.”

Senbanjo also said there’s a plan to feed primary school children in Apapa once school resumes. Similar scenarios are playing out in the 57 Councils of Lagos. While it would take some time before things stabilise, it is heart-warming that Lagos is putting the welfare of her residents on the front burner. It is also gladdening  that other states are following suit in bringing palliatives to their residents. It should not be every time that states have to wait for the federal government before intervention.

Agbekorode writes from Lagos