LCDA’s food bank initiative not electoral inducement, says Lagos LG

The Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area in Lagos State has clarified that its Adetola Food Bank initiative is not a political move to win votes. Instead, it is a long-term social welfare program designed to assist vulnerable residents. This clarification comes after public reactions to a report by The PUNCH on the recent distribution of food items to 1,000 households in the area.

According to a statement from the council's Chief Press Secretary, Moses Akande, the initiative, which is the second edition, was launched by the council's Executive Chairman, Adetola Abubakar, with the aim of promoting the welfare and long-term development of residents. The council emphasized that the social welfare program is a continuous intervention aimed at supporting elderly citizens, widows, low-income families, and individuals with disabilities.

It is not a sporadic or politically motivated gesture, the statement noted. The second edition of the Adetola Food Bank, dubbed Adetola Food Bank 2.0, is seen as an expansion of the council's long-term commitment to ensuring that no vulnerable resident is left behind. The statement added that the Adetola Food Bank is an institutionalized pillar of the council's social safety net, not a one-off event or electoral inducement.

The council also highlighted that food relief is just one aspect of its broader developmental agenda, which includes infrastructure upgrades, community security, youth empowerment, education, and primary healthcare support.