Lagos State government, on Sunday, assured residents of the state of adequate food supply at all the 27 designated COVID-19 Emergency Food Markets.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, gave this assurance while monitoring the exercise at the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja; Opebi Primary School and Ogudu Nursery and Primary School, Ojota.
He explained that the emergency markets were created to cushion the effects of the two weeks lockdown directive by the Federal Government to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
Lawal noted that more farmers would be deployed to the various markets at the next market day on Thursday in order to ensure enough supply of farm produce and perishables to meet the demands of shoppers.
He added that the state government was collaborating with all relevant stakeholders to ensure adequate food supply at the various emergency markets during the lockdown at the next market day, stressing the need for shoppers to comply with the social distancing as well as observe the personal hygiene rules while shopping.
The commissioner said the state government would support the farmers with logistics to enable them to mobilise their farm produce to the various designated emergency markets in the state.
He explained that the state government would scale-up the number of the market’s base on demands from the different communities, adding that the markets were part of the palliative measures adopted by the government.
Lawal, however, assured that the state government and farmers would not take advantage of the situation to exploit the residents of the state, adding that items were being sold at farm gate prices.
“We underestimated the population here and we promise to improve on it in the coming days.
“This is a very good opportunity for our farmers and considering the situation that we are in, the COVID-19 pandemic to sell their produce at affordable prices.
