Government provides maize, sorghum, and garri to residents of Lagos amid high cost of food

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reportedly distributed 1,760 metric tonnes of food items to residents of Lagos State.

This move by the federal government aims to cushion the effects of the high cost of food items in the country.

The food items included 780 metric tonnes of maize, equivalent to 15,600 bags of 50 kg maize; and 800 metric tonnes of sorghum, equivalent to 16,000 bags of 50kg sorghum.

Other food items included 94,000 metric tonnes of garri, equivalent to 3,760 bags of 25kg garri.

The Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, state that the distribution of food produce was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Zubaida Umar was represented at the event by the zonal director, South-West, NEMA, Steven Adewale.

Expressing her gratitude to President Bola Tinubu she said,

“In fulfilment of his promise to reduce the impact of the current economic downturn experienced in the country and in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, Mr President approved the release of 42, 000 metric tonnes of food commodities from the national strategic reserve under the custody of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

“The assorted food commodities include maize, sorghum and garri.

“The above food items will be distributed to all the local government areas in the state.

“Based on the directives of Mr President, 20 per cent of the food items will be given to religious organisations, while three per cent will be allocated to boarding schools in all the local governments in the state,” Umar said.

Dr Rasheed Macauley, who heads the veterinary services in Lagos received the items on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and commended the federal government for the kind gesture.

Macauley appealed for more food items to be sent to the state due to the vast population in Lagos.

Another recipient, Victory Olaleye, expressed gratitude to the federal government and Lagos State for the show of support.