Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced the launch of ‘Ounje Eko’ food markets, offering discounted prices on essential food items across the State, beginning from Sunday, March 17, 2024.
The directive, revealed through the official Lagos State government X handle (formerly Twitter) on Friday night, aimed to alleviate the economic burden on residents amidst rising food prices.
Under the initiative, staple food items including rice, beans, gari, bread, eggs, tomatoes, and pepper will be available at 25% discounted prices at the ‘Ounje Eko’ Food Markets, which will open from 11am to 4pm in all local government areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the State.
To ensure equity and prevent exploitation, a voucher system will be implemented during the pilot phase of the initiative.
Independent payment solution providers and meticulously selected food vendors will facilitate the process, while also furnishing government with real-time data for monitoring purposes.
According to the State government, a 5kg bag of rice will be sold at N5,325, with 1kg available for N1,065
Similarly, a 5kg bag of beans will sell for N6,225, with 1kg at N1,245. The prices of other essential food commodities will be disseminated through various media outlets.
The ‘Ounje Eko’ food markets will operate across 27 locations in Ikeja, six in Lagos Island, nine in Ikorodu, five in Epe, and 10 in Badagry divisions of the state.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, therefore, urged all Lagosians to cooperate with market operators, monitor the proceedings, and provide feedback through official channels of the Lagos State Government.
