The governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, declared on Thursday that his administration would start a health palliative program by paying for pharmaceuticals in order to promote the wellbeing of the populace, particularly those living in rural areas.Speaking at the 2023 Community Day Celebration at the Police College Ground, which is being hosted by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Governor stated that his administration is aware of the rising cost of pharmaceutical drugs in the nation and will provide subsidies to citizens for medical products, just as it has done in the transportation and food distribution sectors. The theme of the event is "Community Engagement: A Veritable Tool for Infrastructure Development on Rural Communities."
We will continue to supply all of you with amenities in rural areas; we won't abandon you in different neighborhoods, and we won't remain at the intersection of Ikoyi and Island. We intend to explore every crevice and corner of the state.
We are here today to express our gratitude and appreciation for your efforts in building the grassroots. We have reduced the transportation fee, as you are aware. We have supplied food palliatives. We have more planned. But pharmaceutical prices are also going up. We will also provide palliative care through medication as a responsible and responsive government, Sanwo-olu pledged.
The governor announced that his administration has established a Department of Rural Development while reminding those in attendance of his earlier-in-the-year commitment to them. He claimed that the office's mission is to receive complaints from the public and attend to their needs, especially those of those living in the state's suburbs.
He went on to clarify that the purpose of the event is to honor Lagosians for their numerous self-help initiatives, which he claims support government initiatives.
Alhaji Azeez Amusat, the chairman of the Community Development Advisory Council (CDAC), expressed gratitude to the governor for his support and dedication to the welfare of the state's citizens and appreciated his trust in the council, especially with regard to the distribution of palliatives to citizens all over the state.
Nonetheless, he pleaded with the governor to keep in mind the council's demands from the previous community day event. The council's demands include listing, the request for a community house, and mobility.
The event's theme aligns with the state's developmental agenda, according to Dr. Nurudeen Agbaje, Special Advisor to the Governor of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. He also expressed gratitude to LCDAs in the state for their support of self-help projects, which he claims have complemented government efforts to bring democracy dividends to the state.
He also expressed his gratitude to the recently established CDAC, which is headed by Amusat, for their unselfish efforts in arranging citizen-government cooperation.
The presentation of monetary gifts to CDAs and the awarding of four brand-new buses as grand prizes to three exceptional CDAs and the finest rural area of the year marked the culmination of the event.
The first, second, and third CDAs—Greenland Estate CDA in Eti Osa East LCDA, Royal Estate CDA in Egbe Idimu LCDA, and Elepe Royal Estate in Ikorodu Council Area—were given eighteen-seater buses; Araromi CDA in Ibeji Lekki LCDA was given the best rural community award.
The fifth through tenth CDAs received consolation prices of 500,000 naira each, correspondingly.