Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) has chided the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for politicising the anti-coronavirus war.
The ruling party wondered why the main opposition party should indulge in “characteristically irresponsible and reckless, bitter politics” at the time of world emergency when all hands are on deck to combat the dreaded disease with the COVID 19 pandemic.
Its publicity secretary, Seye Oladejo, berated the PDP for peddling falsehood about Lagos Stste’s response to the pandemic at a time Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been receiving applause as Incident Commander.
He said PDP deliberately wanted to distract the governor by raising spurious allegations against his policies and programmes.
Oladejo said Sanwo-Olu administration, since its inception, has been alive to its most important duty of the welfare and safety of its citizens.
He said the governor’s proactive response, even before the index case of the COVID 19 pandemic had gone a long way in stemming its spread.
Oladejo added:”No one without ulterior motive would fault the infrastructure- the infectious diseases hospital, the medical laboratory, the isolation centers etc- set up by the state government.
“The State Government till date has been responding to the dictates of the pandemic with morale boosting measures.
Among others, the Lagos State Government decided to provide a novel food stimulus to the most vulnerable in our midst to cushion the impact of the state wide lockdown.
“The government also provided free medical services for certain categories of patients. This includes surgery. Perhaps we should sympathize with the crass ignorance of the PDP leadership who, bereft of how things work in government might tend to jump to hasty conclusions. I guess it’s true that you can’t give what you don’t have. Serious and responsible governance which is the hallmark of the Lagos State government is totally different from running a tattered party.
“In response to the stay at home order in the face of COVID-19 pandemic and as envisaged by the Lagos State Government that there would be shortage in food supply especially to the vulnerable, the State Government flagged off the emergency food response programme. Apart from reaching out to the vulnerable with the supply of staple food for 14 days in the first instance, the programme was to serve as a call for action to the private sector and other well-meaning Nigerians to contribute to ameliorating the effects of the pandemic and consequent stay-at-home order on the vulnerable.
“Mr. Governor formally flagged off the programme on Friday 27th March, 2020. The programme is aimed at distributing food packs to the vulnerable. The food pack consists of 5kg of Rice, 5kg of Garri, 3kg of Beans, 3 sachets of tomatoes / pepper paste and 2 loaves of 300g each bread. It is envisaged that each of these pack should feed a household of 6 for two weeks.
“So far, the State Government has been able to reach out to close to 90,000 households in 19 Local Government Area of the State namely: Agege, Apapa, Amuwo Odofin, Ikeja, Alimosho, Oshodi Isolo, Eti Osa, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Badagry, Epe, Ibeju Lekki, Kosofe, Shomolu, Surulere, Mushin, Ojo, Ifako-Ijaye and Ikorodu out of the first 200,000 households in the first instance. The outstanding Local Government yet to be covered, Ajeromi Ifelodun, would be covered on or before Tuesday 6th April, 2020.
“The programme is achieving its objectives because a lot of private sector and NGOs have contributed to support the programme. In the same vein, the programme has created both direct and indirect jobs for a large number of people along the production line, which in its self is another form of palliatives.
“What the Government has done is to provide a palliative for most vulnerable households. It is just a relief and a substitute for loss of income. The Government is not punishing people by asking them to stay at home but a necessity. It is in our long term interest to be able to live and keep hope alive. The whole world is on lockdown. While our Government will not claim perfection in distribution of the palliative and we are improving on the strategy.
”With the success, the Lagos State Government is to extend the programme to another 250,000 household across the State and will re-strategize particularly in the area of channel of distribution to ensure that the target beneficiaries are reached.
”Thus the aged that are 60 years and above that are on the database of the Lagos State Government and have received text messages are expected to be taken care of during the implementation of the second phase of the programme. The package is meant for indigent communities and vulnerable households in the State. It is important to stress that the package is a palliative.
”It is also important to emphasise that the government have learnt a few lessons particularly on the channels of distribution during the first phase hence they have re-strategized and changed the mode of distribution for the second phase of the programme moving forward.
”The Lagos State Government remains accountable to our numerous donors and to the good people of the state. The PDP with its barefaced leadership will not attempt to teach a subject they find distasteful if our memories serve us right.
”However, we are not unmindful of the fifth columnists like the PDP cohorts who have embarked on sponsored social media activities to discredit the good intentions of government.
”The opportunity provided by the universal scourge for PDP to lay claim to some semblance of life is not lost on Lagosians.
We want to congratulate you for being consistent at coming together whenever there’s money to share.
”We also noticed that you found your voice after the 14 days self-isolation occasioned by your show of shame in Ibadan in the face of threat of COVID 19 pandemic.
The Lagos State Government ably led by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu will not be distracted by political charlatans seeking desperately for relevance.”

By Emmanuel Oladesu