The Lebanese Community in Lagos today, May 5, donated eight truckloads of various food items and an ambulance worth N82.5 million to the Lagos State Government to cushion the effect of the previous lockdown and support the fight against the COVID-19.

The Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal while receiving the items on behalf of the State Government from the Consul-General of Lebanon in Nigeria, Mr Elias Nicolas, commended the benevolent act of the community towards the state.

The items donated, alongside the ambulance, included 1,848 cartons of Aquafina water, 105 cartons of sanitizers, 350 cartons of noodles, 100 cartons of 1kg rice, 120 cartons of margarine, 1,000 cartons of supreme noodles, 1667 cartons of biscuits, 300 cartons of chips, soya oil, 1,000 cartons of semovita and 1,000 cartons of spaghetti, among many others.

Speaking further, Lawal noted that Lagos State Government has reached out to 440,000 households, through its COVID-19 Emergency Food Response Initiative, a palliative for the aged, vulnerable, low-income earners, and people living with disabilities.

He said, “the pandemic had a negative effect on the financial and economic status of Lagosians, which was why the State Government birthed the idea of the Emergency Food Response Initiative to cater to the needs of the aged, vulnerable, people living with disabilities, and daily income earners who might have been directly affected by the lockdown”.

He reiterated that distribution of the relief materials would not cease, especially as notable individuals and organizations such as the Lebanese community are supporting the State Government’s Initiative, adding that households that are yet to receive the stimulus packages will get them soon.

Lawal disclosed that the Lebanese community has been of help to people of Lagos State in terms of job creation and had contributed immensely to the industrialization of the state through investments and trade.

Earlier, the Consul-General, Mr Elias Nicolas, who presented the donation on behalf of the Lebanese community to the State Government, commended Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu’s administration for the efforts made so far to contain and combat the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the State.

He pointed out that the well-calculated efforts of the State Government in its fight against the Coronavirus stirred up the commitment of the Lebanese Community in Lagos to support the needy during this period.

“I thank our Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and we commend the State’s efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. We are here accompanied by some prominent members of the Lebanese community; not just to convey to you a certain donation in kind, but practically to show our brothers and sisters in Nigeria our commitment to the well-being of Nigeria and its people, to stand up beside them in this hard moment. We look forward to a brighter future to reverse all collateral damage from this COVID-19 crisis. We will always be together, whether in a bad moment or happy one”, Nicolas asserted.

The Chairman of the Lebanese Community in Lagos, Mr Faysal El Khalil said that the donation was a token of appreciation to thank Nigeria for accepting them. 

Speaking in the same vein, El Khalil emphasized that Nigeria has also been of help to the members of its community. Added that the community would always be appreciative of the support and cooperation of Nigeria as a whole, disclosing that the community has set up an educational endowment for the benefit of Nigerians with the American University of Beirut.

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