In the spirit of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru on Monday distributed working tools and food items to 12,000 households in the Lagos East Senatorial District as part of his ongoing #DoingGood initiative. The event, held at his Ikorodu Constituency Office, formed part of his annual empowerment and relief programme for constituents.
Abiru, who chairs the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, said the gesture aligns with his commitment to supporting families during festive seasons and cushioning the effects of Nigeria’s economic challenges. He explained that the items distributed—including industrial and manual sewing machines, pepper grinding machines, generators, deep freezers, ovens, standing dryers, and bags of rice—were targeted at promoting economic self-reliance among beneficiaries, including party loyalists, artisans, traders and low-income earners.
The senator said food pack distribution had been planned for 12,000 families across the 16 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos East, noting that the exercise would run until Wednesday to prevent crowd congestion and ensure orderly distribution. He described the programme as a recurring intervention designed to support vulnerable groups such as widows, the elderly, unemployed youths, persons living with disabilities, market women and artisans.
Abiru said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s drive for food security and economic stability, adding that the current economic realities make such interventions essential. “With the current challenges, many families are finding it difficult to afford basic needs. It is our duty to stand with them and offer support, especially during seasons of reflection and celebration,” he said.
The senator also announced the commencement of three cooperative societies—one each for market women, artisans and farmers. He said the cooperatives were part of a broader economic empowerment scheme that has enjoyed significant support from development partners, including the Bank of Industry, SMEDAN and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, each contributing ₦100 million in previous years. According to him, over 1,000 people have benefited so far, following training sessions across the five LGs and 11 LCDAs to equip participants with bookkeeping and cooperative governance skills.
As part of the new phase of support, Abiru said he would present ₦160 million each to farmers, market women and cooperatives across the LGs, as well as ₦160 million to LASCOTA—amounting to a total of ₦480 million in loans. He added that no individual loan would exceed ₦500,000 to ensure fair distribution, and beneficiaries would undergo biannual performance reviews to promote accountability. He stressed that the entire programme aligns 100 per cent with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Tunde Akinmuboni, a person living with disability, praised the senator’s consistency in driving impactful programmes across Lagos East. He highlighted Abiru’s digital skills training sessions, education support, small-business grants and humanitarian relief efforts as key interventions that continue to uplift communities. Akinmuboni described the food distribution as another demonstration of the senator’s commitment through the #DoingGood initiative, which he said has become a holistic model for sustainable development and welfare support in the district.