MUST SEE: How Lagos Govt. Plans To Make Food Available To All Residents During Lockdown

The Commissioner explained that the State Government would scale-up the number of the markets base on demands from the different communities adding that the markets were part of the palliative measures adopted by government.

He said the State Government and farmers would not take advantage of the situation to exploit the residents of the state adding that items are 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.

“We want to assure the Nigerian Air force base of whatever they may also need because we are in discussion on how we can improve the skill set of some of the youths in the base.

“We want to give them agricultural skill set through the ongoing state government agriprenuership programme.

“Aside from this market, we will also partner on the training of the youth within the barrack.

“The base, I am told has a population of about 20,000; this is a good opportunity for us and we hope to have good partnership between the state government and the base.

Lawal said the Coronavirus emergency food market was setup to as a palliative measure to cushion the effect of the pandemic.

“The Eko City farmers’ market and the makeshift farmers market are food markets that we have introduced.

“What we promised the citizenry is every other day but considering the logistics, we have shifted it to every three days in all the designated makeshift markets in the state.

Speaking earlier, the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Nigerian Air Force, Ikeja, Air Vice Marshal Lawal Alao commended the State Government for setting up a COVID-19 emergency food market in the base.

Alao said the gesture would go a long way in helping the over 16,000 residents shop for their daily needs during the lock down.

He said the base had already conformed to the lock down, adding that nobody was allowed to come into or outside the base.