Residents of Mallam Village Community in Ebute Metta in Lagos State on Friday appealed to the Lagos State Government to provide them with a modern healthcare centre and a primary school.
They made the appeal when Blue Baby Support Initiative (BBSI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), distributed food stuffs and other items to no fewer than 500 less privileged in the spirit of the Eid-el-Kabir.
The Secretary of the Community, Mr Mohammed Baba, made the appeal on behalf of other members.
Baba urged LASG to provide them a place where they would be disposing their refuse, a modern primary school for their children and habitable accommodations.
He also implored the state government to help the community renovate its dilapidated health care facility where its members could have regular access to medical treatment.
The secretary appreciated the NGO for donating rice and other items to the community and for celebrating Sallah with them.
Earlier, the NGO had distributed rice, groundnut oil, drinks and snacks to no fewer than 500 less privileged living in the village.
Mrs Aisha Oghieriakhi, its founder, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the initiative was to put smiles on the faces of the needy during Sallah.
Oghieriakhi said that initiative with the theme “Sallah with a Big smile” was carefully planned to assist those with little or nothing to eat during the occasion.
“What we are doing at BBSI is no longer new to the world. Our works and supports to mankind have spread to every nook and cranny of Nigeria and beyond.
“In our usual tradition of celebrating with the communities and reaching out to them during festivals periods, we decided to come to Lagos to stand in the gap for Lagosians.
“Bearing this in mind on this auspicious Salah period, which is known as the “Festival of Hapinness”, we have decided to, once again, put smiles on the faces of these beautiful children today,” she said.
Oghieriakhi said that the NGO had also distributed food items, gifts and cash to several widows in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the last Eid-el-Fitri period.
She advised other Nigerians to join her NGO by supporting and assisting those who were most in need.
Also, Mrs Adepoju Osanaiye, a member of the NGO said that the organisation had cleared school bills, medical bills incurred by several poor people and patients in hospitals in the past.
She said that the NGO was working toward having a happy society that would be free from hunger, strife and pain.
“We want to put smiles on people’s faces and see that they are happy with our initiative,” Osanaiye said.
Mr Sunday Oduyale, another member of BBSI said that the major challenge confronting the initiative was getting sponsorship for its numerous outreach programmes for the benefit of the needy in the society.
He appealed to government, private organisations and philanthropists to partner the NGO in its efforts at reaching out to the less privileged.
“We hope that through our partnership, we will be able to achieve a good and stable society that will be devoid of strife, clashes and war,” Oduyale said.
