Lagos State Government has received 80,000 bags of 10 kilogrammes of rice to bolster its interventions targeted at ameliorating the impacts of current hardship on vulnerable households in the State.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, personally received fully loaded trucks laden with 80,000 units of 10kg bags of rice supplied by Aliko Dangote Foundation for immediate distribution to various segments of the vulnerable population.

Africa’s richest man and Chairman of Aliko Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, was accompanied by his billionaire associate, Mr. Femi Otedola, and daughter, Fatimah Dangote, to fulfil the corporate social responsibility aimed at supporting the nutritional needs of residents in the fasting period and easing the prevailing situation of hardship.

The intervention was part of the Foundation’s ongoing rollout of one million bags of 10kg rice to vulnerable families across 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, with Lagos taking the second largest share of the largesse.

Sanwo-Olu described the gesture as “extreme act of kindness”, noting that Dangote had always stood out as a “unique breed of citizen” enamoured with love and compassion for the downtrodden.

The Governor said: “For extending this gesture of love and kindness to the needy and vulnerable people in the country, Alhaji Dangote has shown that he is a Nigerian that has chosen to be different. The trait of Dangote’s humanity is not just living in his body; he has, by this huge intervention, openly demonstrated the trait of human kindness he possesses in no small measure.

“The donation of 80,000 units of 10kg bags of rice demonstrates that philosophy of the Foundation. This is extending empathy to those in need of little assistance in these difficult times. This direct intervention translates to compassion and goes beyond the pursuit of only profit and wealth. This is a period the Government and private sector need to take joint action to ameliorate the pains being experienced by citizens due to inflation.”

Sanwo-Olu said the supplies would shore up the State-led interventions and help to alleviate the food shortage caused by inflation.

The Governor said his administration had rolled out key multi-sectoral initiatives to assist Lagosians cope, including slashing of fares for public transport, reviving of health palliative, and discounted food items supplies across the State.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the State Government would be distributing 100,000 combo boxes of food items to thousands of households free of charge, urging private organisations to emulate the Foundation’s gesture and support the ongoing efforts by the State to ramp up its interventions.

He said: “We have also secured 100,000 units of combo food packs for distribution to various segments of vulnerable communities in the State. We are finalising the logistics for the delivery. This is in addition to the weekly supply of discounted food items to various community markets.

“We embark on these initiatives in order to accommodate and assist the majority of the population cope in this period. I thank Lagosians for their patience and demonstration of resilience despite the challenges we are all passing through. When we work together, we will come out of this situation better and stronger.”

Dangote said the gesture underscored the Dangote Group’s commitment to exhibit spirit of compassion and solidarity with the vulnerable people, noting that the Foundation had fulfilled the mission yearly over the past 30 years to support Nigerians during fasting periods.

Dangote said Lagos became the second State after Kano where distribution of rice was being done, stressing that Lagos had strategic importance for the success of the outreach.

He said: “We recognise that the current circumstances where a significant number of Nigerians are experiencing hardship due to prevailing food prices inflation requires that we, the Dangote Foundation, provide succour for those affected. That is why we have reserved 200,000 metric tons of rice for distribution across 774 Local Government Areas in the country.”

The Foundation’s Managing Director, Ms. Zouera Youssoufou, said the coincidence of Ramadan and Lent compelled the organisation to raise the volume of food items, pointing out that the largesse was being extended to all faiths.

She said the Foundation would handle the distribution of the items, while Lagos Government would provide the beneficiaries.