A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Abiodun Tobun, on Sunday, said he had distributed food items and cash to no fewer than 250 members of his constituency, to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

Mr Tobun (APC-Epe 1) told journalists in Epe that the distribution was to support efforts at reducing the effects of the present economic realities in the constituency

He listed the distributed food items as rice, beans, garri, semovita, pasta, among others.

“Those who did not get food items were given cash. I don’t want to disclose the amount of cash given, but it is something substantial.

“The people at the venue of the distribution were more than the people invited. So,those who could not get food items were given cash,” he said.

The lawmaker said the people at the grassroots were more impacted by the fuel subsidy removal.

“There is no doubt that people in the urban areas are feeling the heat of fuel subsidy removal, but the people at the grassroots, especially those in the rural areas, are feeling it the most.

“It is on this note that I decided to look back and give back to my constituency to relieve them of the present economic hardship,” he said.

Mr Tobun said the food distribution was not a one-off programme but a continuous one.

He urged Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu-led administration to lead the country out of its economic doldrums.

Mr Tobun said the economic reforms of Mr Tinubu would yield the desired results in the long run.

“There is no development without hardship; development comes with hardship. No pain, No gain.

“I am optimistic that Nigerians will gain at the end,” he said.

A beneficiary, Olawunmi Bakare, a resident of Ward A5, commended the lawmaker for the initiative.

She said the food items came at the right time.

Another beneficiary, Adekunle Bishi, of Ward B1, urged the government to make the food palliative distribution a continuous exercise.

He added that people at the grassroots were the most affected by the fuel removal, hence, the need to support them from time to time. 

  (NAN)