Kunle Adelabu
A total of 700 Street Sweepers working under the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), were, on Monday, presented with packs and bags of food items for the yuletide season by the People Embrace People Circle Development Foundation, also known as Pepc Foundation, a non – governmental and non – political organization.
The beneficiaries were sweepers working across the six Local Council and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria.
About 30 personnel of the Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA ‘s Joint Taskforce were also presented with relief materials at the distribution center.
Aside the relief materials presented to them, the beneficiaries and their coordinators, who are part of the 20, 000 families across five locations in the state, that are being targeted for the Xmas period, also had great time having fun with organisers of the food distribution exercise themed, “Love Beyond Xmas”.
The Ikorodu Bois team were fully on ground to spice up the Igbogbo Stadium atmosphere venue of the distribution exercise which also had the presence of His Royal Majesty, Oba (Barr.) Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Builder Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, High Chief Tajudeen Alade Onasanya, the Odofin of Igbogbo and other members of the Adeboruwa – in – Council.
While the packs of food distributed to beneficiaries contained raw rice, beans, vegetable oil, indomies, seasonings to spice up their cooking at Xmas, the small sack contained garri.
Barr Luqman Akinsanya, the founder of the foundation, speaking about the initiative, said that it is his own way of encouraging the street sweepers for the strategic and important roles they are playing in making the environment livable.
“The sweepers are my brothers, friends, my people. I love them and I called them the vanguard of the state, because they are awesome people. I see them in the rain, sun, early in the morning and late in the day sometimes”, he said.
“Growing up, I know how it feels when you sweep and I know what cleanliness is and globally, we all understand what cleanliness is all about.
“Their impacts in Lagos is very significant and I appreciate them every year. This is the third year that I have been doing this in the last five years of our foundation existence and I don’t want to stop.
“I want to continue to give them encouragement, the sense of belonging and the love that they deserved, also and make sure that they know that they are part of us; they are not different and that they are humans. That’s why I am doing this”, Barr. Akinsanya said.
While stating that his plan is to reach out to all the Street Sweepers in the state, Akinsanya,l also revealed that medical checkup and nutrition support might be part of the package for the group, next year.
“I started with about 250 at a particular location and last year, I was able to cover about 400 of them and this year, I have been able to cover the whole of Ikorodu and moving forward, I am thinking of extending it to the whole of Lagos State, and with the assistance of the Lagos State government, I should be able to do that”. he said.
“Next, I am actually thinking of innovation that is way bigger than this and do more than giving them relief packs. We are introducing nutrition assessment, medical check and that way, those with issues will take it from there”.
He further charged the sweepers to continue to give their best to their duty of making the environment cleaner.
“They should continue to see themselves as neighours and friends, do their job diligently and make sure that our environment are clean, and we will continue to help them do better”.
The Adeboruwa of lgbogbo, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, while commending the initiator of the project, stated that the support from the Pepc Foundation is meant to further encourage and motivate the beneficiaries to diligently perform their duty.
“I want to give glory to God, for today’s event. This is an awesome event that the world should emulate. It is a manifestation of what we have been preaching that we should always be our brother’s keeper”, he said.
“The initiator of this lofty programme said it all in his speech that he deliberately targeted this group of people working to make our environment clean.
“The whole world is talking about the climate change and the need to make our environment clean. These are key people working for us in that regard, and how to make them put in more efforts in their work, is part of what we are doing today.
“We must ensure that they sustain the good work that they are doing. They must be encouraged in our own little way. The government cannot do it alone, and that is why he (Barrister Akinsanya) has chosen this group to support them, particularly during this festive period to ensure that they have something to live with and celebrate in good mood.
The royal father said that the community appreciates the founder of the Pepc Foundation, and charged him to do more for the society.
“I want to encourage him to do more and also appreciate him and also others who are working with him. I also want to enjoin the beneficiaries to continue to pray while doing their work, and should not look down on themselves”, he said.
“They should not think that what they are doing is not being appreciated in the society. God is appreciating them; the community is appreciating them, and we want to plead with them that they should put in more efforts so that we can continue to have a clean environment and livable society”, the royal father.
Builder Olusesan Daini, Chairman, igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, who said that the sweepers are important to the council and the state, said that Pep Foundation, with his gesture, is assisting the government in discharging part of its duty to the people.
“I am so happy. LAWMA sweepers are also staff of the local government and having a volunteering group to support them is a major one and it is something that makes me happy. I want to specially commend Barr. Luqman Akinsanya, the founder of the Pepc Foundation for his efforts; for his love for the people; the masses, and for making sure that the less privileged people are well taken care of”, he said.
“What he’s doing is actually part of the responsibilities of the government, and I commend and appreciate him, and pray that God will continue to bless him. I want to appeal to everybody that in whatsoever capacity that they can support, they should do so, because governance is not about the government alone, but about everybody”, Builder Daini.
Meanwhile, some of the LAWMA Street Sweepers and their supervisors that spoke with THE IMPACT, described the gesture and love from the Pepc Foundation in the last three years, as awesome, adding that they are well appreciated.
