Festive season: Lagos lawmaker, Yishawu, launches 50% discount food market

A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Eti-Osa Constituency II, Hon. Gbolahan Olusegun Yishawu (GOY), has launched a 50 percent discount food market to support residents during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

The initiative, held on Saturday in the constituency, saw the sale of essential food items, including rice, beans, gari, yam, palm oil, eggs, bread, meat, chicken, fish and Indomie noodles at heavily subsidised rates, with some products discounted by more than 50 percent, while buyers also received free pepper mixes to help families prepare meals.

Speaking at the event, Yishawu explained that the discount market was part of his ongoing social intervention programmes aimed at easing the economic burden on residents, especially during the festive season.

“We run several programmes in our constituency, ranging from education and digital training to entrepreneurship. Considering the festive season, we decided to reach out to our people by bringing down the prices of staple food items they really need,” he said.

According to the lawmaker, over 10,000 food items were made available, with each buyer allowed to purchase up to five items to ensure wider access, adding that residents were free to combine different food categories to meet their household needs.

Yishawu, while noting that the initiative was introduced for the first time, however, pledged that plans were underway to make it a regular feature during festive periods.

This was just as he cited the sustainability of past programmes, including a free school bus scheme that had been running for over five years, as evidence of his commitment to continuity.

On participation, the lawmaker, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stressed that the initiative was non-partisan, saying that nobody was asked for a party card to benefit from the programme.

He added that voter registration cards were used only as a means of identifying residents within the constituency, and encouraging eligible citizens to see voter registration as a civic responsibility.

“Nobody was asked for a party card. We represent everybody in this constituency. We reached out through SMS, billboards, flyers and social media over several weeks,” he said.

The initiative drew commendation from local government officials and political leaders.

Chairman of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, Hon. Bola Oladunjoye, described the programme as timely and impactful, noting that “every saving counts” for families amid rising food prices.

Similarly, the Executive Chairman of Iru/Victoria Island LCDA, Hon. Aminat Oluwakemi Alabi, applauded Yishawu for consistently providing relief to constituents, adding that the discount market would enable residents to enjoy cheaper food items during the festivities.

Residents, who benefited from the market, also expressed appreciation, describing the prices as “amazingly low,” just as they noted that the initiative would help less-privileged families enjoy the festive season.

With large crowds still trooping in, hours after the programme began, Hon. Yishawu assured residents that sufficient supplies had been prepared to meet demand, reaffirming his commitment to initiatives that bring relief and support to his constituents.