Share!
Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said his administration is now focused on security and welfare of Lagosians as federal government announced a 2 weeks extension of the coronavirus lockdown to halt the spread of the disease.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Sanwo-Olu said the President, Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to extend the lockdown was a tough decision but just as with many countries that couldn’t stop the spread of #COVID19, the effects have been catastrophic. ‘My biggest focus now is security and welfare, he added.
On the reports of pockets of insecurity across different areas perpetrated by hoodlums, he said in the last 24 hours, his administration has worked to increase police ‘surveillance and response time’ in the state.
On welfare packages to cushion the effect of the lockdown, the Lagos governor said the second half of the first phase of the reformed ‘Lagos food relief’ distribution which is targeted at the vulnerable is on course. ‘The federal government’s conditional cash transfer has also begun to help reduce the burden and we are working on doing more,’ he added.
The statement reads: “Dear Lagosians, yesterday H.E Pres. @MBuhari announced a 2 weeks extension of the lockdown.
“This was a tough decision but like we have seen in countries that couldn’t stop the spread of #COVID19, the effects have been catastrophic. My biggest focus now is security and welfare.
“On security, there have been reports of pockets of insecurity across different areas and intelligence has shown a combination of exploitation by criminal elements. The Police have been responsive but in the last 24 hours we have worked to increase surveillance and response time.
“On welfare, the second half of the first phase of our reformed #LagosFoodRelief distribution which is targeted at the vulnerable is on course. The federal government’s conditional cash transfer has also begun to help reduce the burden and we are working on doing more.
Sanwo-Olu further stated: “We are encouraged by the success rate of our isolation and treatment initiatives for #COVID19. Working with the @NCDCgov and @LSMOH, testing capacity for #COVID19 has increased and we will continue to do all we can to stop the spread of the virus.”
“As a state, we understand that this lockdown will stretch us because of some structural problems we are contending with, however I want to thank Lagosians for rising up with empathy and strength. We have to do more and the government will do more, let’s beat #COVID19 together.” He concluded.