LAGOS State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has expressed his concern on security and welfare of Lagosians over the two-week lockdown extension, announced on Monday by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Sanwo-Olu who disclosed that his biggest focus now is security and welfare said the decision was tough but, like seen in countries that couldn’t stop the spread of COVID19, the effects have been catastrophic.
There have been reports of pockets of insecurity across different areas and intelligence has shown an exploitation by criminal elements.
The governor said the police have been responsive and have increased surveillance and response time in the last 24 hours.
On welfare, Sanwo-Olu said the second half of the first phase of the reformed Lagos Food Relief distribution targeted at the vulnerable is on course.
The federal government’s conditional cash transfer has also begun to help reduce the burden and also assured the state government’s commitment to do more, he added.
Sanwo-Olu said the state was encouraged by the success rate of the isolation and treatment initiatives for Covid19.
He noted that working with the NCDC and Lagos State Ministry of Health testing capacity for Covid19 has increased and the state government would continue to do all it 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.”