Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, on Monday, said the hardship occasioned by the stay-at-home order over the coronavirus pandemic had necessitated the need to focus on full-time strategic implementation of ‘stomach infrastructure.’
Fayose, in a statement by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, said present realities made it imperative for leaders to stand for their people and take exceptional interest in their welfare.
He said, “The human and economic losses occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic will be mind-boggling if the food need of the people are not addressed. In the face of all these, leaders must remain leaders and stand up for their people.
“We all know the ‘sit-at-home’ is inevitable but the government at all levels, particularly governors and council chairmen, as well as churches and mosques that have received allocations and offerings, etc., must forget projects and embark on full-time strategic implementation of ’stomach infrastructure’ as hunger can kill quicker than coronavirus.
“It is time to give back to the people as nothing else would matter now. Yam, cassava, garri, others can be bought locally and distributed, while bakers will be glad to be patronised to bake for the people for free, daily, while it lasts. This will help to enforce the stay-at-home order of the government effortlessly.
“The Federal Government will be making billionaires if the so-called palliatives and physical cash are managed by wrong hands.
“Today, I am sure that what is on the minds of ordinary Nigerians is, ‘on stomach infrastructure we stand’. This, if well implemented, will no doubt help to enforce the stay-at-home order of the government effortlessly,” he said.
Fayose praised the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for what he described as “his pro-activeness and unrelenting efforts in the management of these challenges as well as his transparency and interface with the people.”
