Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, said his administration would provide health palliatives for the residents by subsidising drugs to improve their well-being.
He said that the health palliatives, which would soon be rolled out by his administration, would cushion the effects of high prices of drugs as a result of the economic challenges in the country.
At this year’s Community Day celebration held at the Police College in Ikeja, the governor said that his government is aware of the growing cost of pharmaceutical drugs in the country, and to cushion the effect, the state government would provide subvention to citizens on medical products as it was done in the transportation sector as well as food distributions.
He said: “We are not going to leave you in various communities; we will continue to provide amenities for all of you in the rural areas. We are going to reach out to all the nooks and crannies of the state.
“Today, we are here to appreciate you and thank you for your efforts aimed at developing the grassroots. As you know, we have slashed the transport fare. We have provided palliatives of foodstuff. We are going to do more. But the cost of drugs is also rising. As a responsive and responsible government, we will also provide palliatives on medicines”.
Sanwo-Olu also appreciated the various Community Development Associations (CDAs) in the state for their support during the last general elections and for re-electing him and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.
The governor, who promised more projects at the grassroots, said his administration has created the Office of Rural Development and appointed a Special Adviser, who is a cabinet member to ensure speedy implementation of community based programmes.
He said the Office of Rural Development is dedicated to taking complaints and addressing the needs of Lagos residents, particularly those in the state’s suburbs and rural areas.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Rural Development, Dr. Nurudeen Agbaje said the theme of the event – ‘Community Engagement, a Veritable Tool for Infrastructural Development in Rural Communities’ – resonates with the state’s developmental agenda.
He appreciated all the CDAs in the state for their support through self-help projects, which, according to him, have complemented government efforts at delivering dividends of democracy to the state.
Agbaje also thanked the newly inaugurated Community Development Advisory Council, led by Alhaji Azeez Amusat, for its selfless efforts toward the coordination of collaborations between citizens and the government.
He also commended the winning CDAs for their self-help projects to develop their communities, with a call on other CDAs to support the government in infrastructural development.
Amusat called for the review of the state’s CDA constitution, with an appeal to the governor to construct a Community House as State Secretariat for all CDAs activities in the state.
Amusat, who thanked Sanwo-Olu for his support and commitment to the welfare of citizens in the state, appreciated him for the confidence reposed in the CDAs, particularly the distribution of palliatives to residents across the state through the CDAs.
Four 18-seater buses were presented to the first, second and third CDAs They are: Greenland Estate CDA in Eti Osa East LCDA, Royal Estate CDA in Egbe Idimu LCDA and Elepe Royal Estate in Ikorodu Council Area, while the best Rural Community Award went to Araromi CDA in Ibeji Lekki LCDA.
Consolation prices of N500,000 each was also given to the fifth to 10th CDAs.
