By ESENVOSA IZAH

Mr Gbolahan Yishawu, lawmaker representing Eti-Osa Constituency 02 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, said that the ‘Ounje Eko’ food market was suspended because it was abused by participants.

Yishawu made this known at the 11th Eti-Osa Constituency 02 Town hall Meeting held on Friday in Lagos.

The meeting was part of the 9th Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting held simultaneously across the 40 Constituencies of the state.

Ounje Eko Food Discount Market is an initiative of the state government to sell foodstuff to residents at reduced prices across its 57 local government areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

The temporary markets, which also took place at the Alausa, Secretariat and Lekki Phase I, operated on Sundays to provide selected food items at a 25 percent discount.

Last week, the state government announced its decision to pause the programme, which was in its second phase.

Shedding more light on the decision, Yishawu said, “The initiative was done by government to subsidise food for the residents.

“People were abusing the system, taking advantage of it; and the government had brought the initiative so that people can buy what they need and then come back again.

“So, the subsidy the government was trying to give to you was being hijacked in the system,” he said.

The lawmaker said that the government was planning to redesign the process before bringing it back on board.

Earlier, a teacher, Mr Tunde Aremu, who was among constituents that attended the meeting, had expressed dismay over the suspension of the initiative.

He said that the government initiative was meant to bring succour to residents following the high cost of living.

“This ‘Ounje Eko’ initiative, I see it as a relief because the major challenge everyone is facing in Nigeria today is insufficiency of food, no money.

“When we see a governor coming to our rescue in this area, then, such a governor should be commended,” he said.

Aremu, however, later thanked the lawmaker for the explanation.

“The response from Yishawu that many of our people abused this privilege, whereby, the motive behind this programme is for people to be given a chance to get food at reduced price, but was abused, is disheartening,” he said.

Aremu urged Lagosians to be constructive in their thinking and dealings, so that the relief by government would reach everyone.

He said, “In Nigeria, we always like to complain and condemn government, but we ourselves we do not know that governance starts from us.

“If we do not caution our excesses, there is no how government will be able to reach all.

“Nigerians need to be patriotic.”

Recall that the Lagos State Government, in March, successfully implemented Phase I of the Ounje Eko Food Discount Market across the state.

Following its success, it began the second phase on Sept. 1, and scheduled it to run for eight weeks.

Residents across Lagos enjoyed 25% discount on a variety of food items, including Rice, Beans, Garri, Bread, Eggs, Tomatoes, Pepper, Tatashe and Onions. (NAN)