TheLink News reports that Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, unveiled a package of palliatives for residents of the state to cushion the current economic hardship in the country.
Sanwo-Olu said as part of the measures to lessen the adverse effect of the Federal Government’s recent policies on the people, working hours for civil servants on Grade Level 1-14 had been reduced to three days a week, while those on Grade Level 15-17 will work four days per week. The governor unveiled the package during a media interactive session, “Sanwo Speaks,” to inform residents of steps being taken by his administration to reduce the effects of the harsh economic realities on residents.
He announced the re-introduction of a 25 percent transport rebate and subsidy on movements in government-owned transport systems. Part of the interventions, according to Sanwo-Olu, include prompt payment of pensioners’ entitlements, re-introduction of Sunday Markets for subsidized goods at selected places, and subsidy on some drugs. He also listed the suspension of certain registration requirements in public schools, like the demand for tax clearance certificates, to accommodate more out-of-school children. He added that 100 trailers of rice would soon be made available to 300,000 households.
The governor said his administration targeted to distribute combo food bags to over 3,000 households. He said the government had embarked on procurement of 100 trailers of rice and some other food items, which would be packed and distributed to the less-privileged, with adequate monitoring. He said the government had identified 42 Sunday markets for the exercise. In the health sector, Sanwo-Olu said the 31 general hospitals across the state had been directed to take child deliveries for free. He announced that the six health districts in the state would embark on free health missions twice a week.
