Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is set to unveil a comprehensive program called EKO CARES today (Monday). This initiative, as announced by the state government in a statement on Sunday, aims to address the economic challenges faced by Lagos residents.
EKO CARES encompasses interventions across various sectors including transportation, education, health, and agriculture, with the goal of mitigating the impact of fuel subsidy removal and the increasing cost of living.
To spearhead this initiative, Governor Sanwo-Olu has established a non-partisan Special Dispensation Advisory Council consisting of distinguished individuals from different sectors. The council, chaired by the governor himself, includes the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, as an alternate Chairman. It also comprises rights activists, religious leaders, a youth representative, and members from opposition parties.
Earlier in February, the governor had announced several palliative measures to ease the economic burden on residents. These included a 50% reduction in fares on all government transportation services, later adjusted to 25% after a review. Additionally, initiatives such as the Ounje Eko Sunday market, offering a 25% reduction in food prices, and reduced workdays for civil servants from levels one to 14 were implemented. A wage award of N35,000 was also granted to all civil servants, along with financial support of N50,000 each to 15,000 women across the local governments and development areas. Furthermore, free delivery services for expectant women in government hospitals were introduced among other measures.
