…………Says Residents Deserved to Celebrate Easter With Enough Food.
Emmanuel lkpeama
In efforts to ease the burden of rising food prices, the Executive Chairman of Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos State,Hon Hammed Salawu, on Thursday 17, April 2025,provided residents with a 50% subsidy on essential food items.
The initiative, according to the council chairman, aims to provide immediate relief so that residents can celebrate Easter with ease and was done in partnership with Inspire Lagos Food Market.
Speaking with newsmen, the Chairman who was represented at the event by the Secretary of the local government,Hon Ayodele Afolabi Samson stated that the essence of the food subsidy was to help the Christian community living in Somolu ease the tension of the celebration as the residents deserved to celebrate Easter with enough food stuffs in their homes.
He went further to state that the 50% Somolu Local Government Food Subsidy program in collaboration with Inspire Lagos Food Market is meant to cushion the effects of the current economic situations in Nigeria.
” You will recall that we organised a similar event during the End of Ramadan fast for the Muslims celebrations,though some Christians equally bought Foodstuffs,as a responsible government,we decided to extend the same largesse to our Christian community so that they can have enough to celebrate the Easter celebration.
“This is not the first, this is not the second, and we are not stopping. It’s a continuous thing. By the special grace of God, we might be having a bigger one during the Eid Maulud because somolu residents are in dire need of this kind of program” the chairman said.
Hon.Dullar charged the residents to be law abiding and orderly by buying Food items that can satisfy their immediate needs, while wishing them a happy Easter celebration.
Earlier the founder and CEO of Inspire Lagos food market, Abiola Adebajo noted that the collaboration with Somolu local government was born out of a growing concern over widespread hunger and skyrocketing food prices in the country.
He said,“The hunger is real. Food is really expensive, and people have no choice but to buy it. So Hon. Salawu Dullar came up with this project and decided to collaborate with Inspire Lagos Food Market,so that the residents can get a 50% food subsidy market.”
“Some assume that only the poor struggle, but in reality, even the average person is feeling the pinch.”
Explaining further, Adebajo said: “The market operates by sourcing food from registered bulk vendors who sell at standard market prices. Inspire Lagos food market then offsets 50% of the cost using subsidy funds provided by donors.This model ensures that vendors do not suffer losses while consumers benefit from significantly reduced food prices.”he submitted.
In her heartfelt remarks,the chairperson Mrs Omatanwa Salawu applauded Hon Dullar for yet another initiative touching women directly and changing lives for the better.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with investigator news expressed gratitude to Hon Salawu Dullar commending him for this gesture.
One of the beneficiaries,Mrs Bola Fadairo, said the programme was well organised and everyone is happy especially getting food items that are expensive at a cheaper rate.
“The products were splashed by 50 per cent and it was very affordable. It was well coordinated. Individuals were allowed to buy items of not more than N15,000 so that others can purchase too”she said.
Another beneficiary,Hon Maryam Owolabi, said that it was a well thought out initiative by the Executive Chairman to feed the residents with the 50% discount on food items.
According to her, a lot of people are feeling the impact of the economic hardship hence, the need for local governments across the federation to regularly come up with intervention programs such as this, while commending Hon Salawu Dullar for leading the pace.
Investigator news reports that Hundreds of residents trooped to the new secretariat where they bought food items such as rice,beans, pepper, tomatoes,tubers of yam, garri, vegetable oil,palm oil ,indomie noodles, loaves of bread,fowls, frozen chicken,eggs etc at 50 per cent off the normal market price as the local government pegged what individual could purchase to fifteen thousand (N15,000)which must cover more than one particular food item.
Also,it was gathered that food items like indomie noodles,rice,beans,garri were sold for N5,000,N4,000 respectively.
Other items include yam,palm oil and vegetable oil for N2,000,N1,000 and N1,500 respectively.
