Rendeavour, Africa’s largest private city developer and partner to the Lagos State Government,on the Alaro City project, has followed suit on the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Daily Food Kitchen Programme.
Rendeavour is set to roll out the largest free food programme in Lagos,anchored by a private sector, this is aimed at providing food for 10,000 people daily, as part of additional palliative measures, which seeks to cushion the effects of the lockdown in the state over the coronavirus pandemic.
This development emerges,days after the Lagos State Governor announced the start,of a daily food kitchen programme targeted at feeding 100,000 youths across different areas in the state. Rendeavour will work hand-in-hand with Alaro City and selected non-governmental organisations, to kick-start the initiative, with focus on their host community, Epe and the Lagos Island.
Stephen Jennings, Founder and Group CEO of Rendeavour, commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for his leadership and laudable efforts, at tackling the spread of the coronavirus in Lagos State and promised that the organisation, will continually support the government. “Governor Sanwo-Olu has led commendably, from the front, in the fight against the virus in Lagos, to the admiration of all, including the international community,” he noted.
Other initiatives by Rendeavour and Alaro City,targeted at cushioning the effect of the lockdown,include the distribution of relief items,which started in Epe,two weeks ago. The company is also engaging in a civic education campaign, aimed at boosting awareness,of effective ways of combating the pandemic. In addition , top executives of the organisation, have partnered with the Lagos branch of a global business leadership community,in funding the construction of a COVID-19 treatment/isolation centre in Lagos.
Alaro City, which is a partnership between the Lagos State Government and Rendeavour, is planned as a 2,000-hectare mixed-income, city-scale development with industrial and logistics locations, complemented by offices, homes, schools, healthcare facilities, hotels, entertainment and 150 hectares (370 acres) of parks and open spaces. Over 20 businesses are designing or building their facilities in the city; and 5km of initial road networks and a modular 50MVA power plant are under construction.
As a reaction to the development, the Lagos State Government, commended Rendeavour and Alaro City, for the assistance and encouraged more private sector partnership with the state in tackling the pandemic.
The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Gbolahan Lawal, said: “The initiative to feed 10,000 people daily by Rendeavour and Alaro City is a laudable one and perfectly keys in with the objectives of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s COVID-19 Emergency Food Response. We welcome all partnerships on this quest to ensure that those in need are fed during this period.”
Dr. Mrs Lola Akande, the Lagos Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, also applauded Rendeavour for the initiative. “It is heart-warming to see our partners in the private sector,rise up to the occasion and key into the state government’s programmes aimed at battling the coronavirus pandemic,” she said. “Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has, once again, shown leadership worthy of emulation and we are happy,that responsible corporate players like Rendeavour and Alaro City are partnering with us.”
