Efforts of Lagos State Government to distribute palliative items to Lagosians following the lockdown occasioned by Coronavirus has taken a new dimension as beneficiaries are being discriminated against along political party lines and property status.
At Ifako/Ijaiye Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos State, distribution of the COVID-19 palliative items was done among landlords and the physically challenged persons adjudged as ‘most vulnerable’ people, qualified to benefit from the largesse.
The distribution was carried out at the Ifako/Ijaiye LGA Secretariat located at the Idi-Agbon Primary School premises between Monday and Tuesday April 6 and 7, 2020, with information made known to only beneficiaries.
The NEXT EDITION gathered that each household was entitled to a bag with the photograph of the LGA chairman’s on it.
A beneficiary, a landlord who pleaded anonymity, revealed the content of his bag, which contained garri, rice, beans, all in small nylon bags, and a sachet of Semovita.
According to him, “We’re four in my house, but this food items here cannot take us for up to one and half days. Rice not up to five cups; beans, garri the same thing and the Semovita is just one sachet.”
He however said: “Although I’m not hungry so much or begging for food, but there are tenants in my house whose conditions are very pathetic.
“They are the ones that need it now. Some of them have four, five children and they’re lockdown.”
A physically challenged person who did not want his name mentioned, revealed he got an SMS earlier under the aegis of ‘Physically Challenged Persons Association’ for the palliative distribution.
“I got a text message from my association, the Physically Challenged Persons, that we have to gather at Idi-Agbon Primary School for government palliative items and I got my own package,” he said.
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Chinyere, a tenant who lives in the Idi-Agbon community of the Ifako/Ijaiye LGA decried the development as discriminatory and unfair, saying it was political.
According to her, “We are six in the house; my husband has no job and I’m the one sustaining the family. I do any work, like sweeping and washing of homes, washing of clothes and any other work you want me to do for you.
“That’s what I do to pay my children’s school fees; buy food and take care of other needs in the home. But, they are sharing these palliative items only to landlords, friends, party members and those who have physical challenges. Yet, I can’t go out now to do anything because of lockdown, is that fair?”
Betty, another tenant in Idi-Agbon community, also expressed disappointment at the distribution of the palliative items, which she said was discriminatory, even as she appreciated the efforts of Lagos State government.
“I quite appreciate the efforts of the Lagos State government to assist the people because of this Coronavirus. But, the distribution of the palliative items is not fair. They are sharing the items secretly to their party members, friends, landlords and the physically challenged.
“I’m a seamstress and I have no husband. In my house, we’re only four. If I was given the package no matter how small, it could take us at least for two days since there’s lockdown and one is not doing anything for now and no money,” she complained.
However, efforts to reach either the chairman or secretary of the Ifako/Ijaiye LGA for comments proved abortive as they were not available, just as officials affirmed that the palliatives were meant for the landlords and the physically challenged.
“We’re told to give these palliative items to only the landlords and the physically challenged persons in this area. These categories of people are the most vulnerable in the society,’ they said.
Against this background, most residents of the Ifako/Ijaiye LGA communities had resumed normal life as businesses had been going on as against the stay-at-home and social distancing rules to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
