By Precious Igbonwelundu
The Committee of Wives of Lagos State Government Officials (COWLSO) on Tuesday donated food and other household items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Relief Camp in Igando.
The delegation, led by the governor’s wife, Dr. Ibironke Sanwo-Olu, gave words of encouragement to the people who lost their homes during last month’s pipeline fire at Abule-Egba.
Items donated included a cow, water bottles, mattresses, chairs for children, clothes, pasta and beverages.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu said that the group was moved to visit the IDPs to make them understand that they shared in their pains.
She hailed the state government and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) for rising to the occasion and ensuring that the over 300 persons rendered homeless, got shelter and were emotionally and mentally stable.
“I just want to thank God that immediately this disaster happened, Lagos State Government came to their rescue. From their responses, you could see that the victims lost everything in the fire.
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“I am happy that after talking to them, they realised that it is important to thank God as they did not lose their lives. We also made them understand that they are not alone. There are people in Lagos who care for them.
“There is still hope. The Lagos State Government magnanimously listened to the cries of LASEMA when the incident occurred and resettled the people at this camp through the Ministry of Special Duties.
“A lot of people have partnered the government to provide the necessary things they need to survive here. That notwithstanding, the people are asking for more. They have appealed that their homes be returned to them and they want the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to review the situation of things.
“They are asking that their children should go to better schools. But like my sister, (wife of the Deputy Governor Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat) has told them; it is a step at a time.
“The most important thing now is their well-being. After that, all other things can be added,” she said.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu emphasised the need for proactive steps in emergency management, noting that avoidable disasters could be avoided through advocacy and enlightenment.
She suggested the need for prepared emergency health services, which would allow for bed spaces to be reserved at designated medical facilities or relief camps built with such facilities.
LASEMA Director-General Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu thanked the governor’s wife and her team for feeding the children and spending time with them.
“She did not just bring items to them; the governor’s wife fed the children. She felt the pulse of the victims of the Abule-Egba pipeline fire and associated with them. The group was magnanimous by bringing so many things to cushion the effect of the disaster on the people. They brought things that will ensure the total well-being of the IDPs. We appreciate the gesture,” he said.
Oke-Osanyintolu sought the establishment of a similar relief camp at the Lagos Central Senatorial District, which would serve the need of people in that area, as there was none at the moment.
“Look at what is happening at the Central Area, we are appealing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to ensure that we build a Lagos Central relief camp because that is the area that we are going to have petrochemicals. That is the area we have our marine rescue units and that is the area we have our Lagos State Central Unit. We must be well prepared as a cosmopolitan state that is moving to a smart city.”
Some of the IDPs, who praised the government for catering for their needs since the disaster, said they were grateful because they had never been hungry.
A mother of three, Kafayat Adebayo, who said they lost all they had worked for in the fire, added that the clothes they were wearing were given to them at the camp.
“My husband had gone to work. We were living in our house, but we lost all our belongings. We lost everything, but we are thankful that we have a place to sleep and eat.
“I am only begging the government to help us get our house back. They can rebuild it for us or anything they can do so that we do not live here forever. I am also begging that our children, who attend private schools, do not have uniforms yet. If they can help to do that it will be nice because they currently wearing mufti to school,” she said.
Mr. Olalekan Fadairo, a landlord on Edoki Estate, whose duplex was razed, said he was living at the camp with his wife, children and grandchildren.
He thanked the government for the shelter, but appealed to the governor to do something substantial for them.
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