Adewunmi Adeyemi, market leader, Surulere Local Government Area, says no fewer than 80,000 residents of Surulere benefitted from “Ounje Eko,” the Lagos discount food market.

Mr Adeyemi said this in an interview with journalists on Monday at the end of the programme at Progressive Junior Secondary School, Surulere, Lagos.

He said in the last four weeks, more than 20,000 residents benefited from the programme purchasing various food items like rice, beans, garri, eggs, bread, pepper, tomatoes and onions each week.

According to him, this is the fourth week of the “Ounje Eko” scheme and the end of the first phase of the 25 per cent discount food market organised by the administration of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“I must tell you that it has been wonderful and successful. The programme has been very interesting from the first day.

“Although we had some issues with the payment system on the first day because we had only one operator, which was Cowry, but more operators like Palm Pay, Momo, Smart Cash and Interswitch were added, which made payment easier.

“As regard sales, people have been trooping in, at each market day and this is the fourth week, we don’t have less than 20,000 customers.

“Let me just put it at that because there are times that the numbers are more than that. Even the last day, I envisage that it will be up to 30,000 to 40,000,” he said.

Adeyemi commended the people for their orderliness and discipline, which he said contributed to the success of the programme.

He also lauded the security personnel; the Police, Neighborhood Safety Corps and Civil Defense Corps, whom he said were very helpful and professional.

“This programme is a laudable one, it is one the residents of Lagos state will never forget for a long time.

“We started early on the last day to enable us attend to more people.

“In fact, we had more people than before, the payment machines worked perfectly and the vendors too came in good it,” he said.

The market leader said there were enough commodities to sell to the people, such as grains, bread, eggs, pepper and garri.

“From the feelers we are getting, the people are calling for more, they want an extension of the programme.

“We will get back to the authority to inform them about the request. If there’s going to be an extension, definitely we are going have more people benefit,” he said.

Overall, he said the programme was a huge success, “the staff came early, and they were well-kitted, and they attended to people in a friendly manner.”

The Lagos state government on Sunday, March 17, kicked off discounted prices on essential food items across the state.

The initiative, Mr Sanwo-Olu said, aimed at alleviating the economic burden on residents amidst rising food prices.

Under the initiative, food items, including rice, beans, gari, bread, eggs, tomatoes, and pepper, will be available at 25 per cent discounted prices at the food markets.

The markets opened from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in all local government areas (LGAs) and local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.

The Lagos discount food markets were operated in 27 locations: 27 in Ikeja, six in Lagos Island, nine in Ikorodu, five in Epe, and ten in Badagry divisions of the state.

(NAN)