The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has called for support for the less privileged during the Christmas season.
Sanwo-Olu made the appeal on Tuesday during the Christmas Carol Service of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja area of the state.
The First Lady, while taking the first Bible reading at the carol service, stressed that Christmas represents a time to remember the less privileged and spend time with them.
She commended Lagosians for taking time to celebrate the festive season despite the prevailing economic situation.
She said, “Christmas is about giving to the less privileged and remembering to spend time with them, and that is what we have been doing. It is a great joy that every year we can come together to remember this special moment and worship together.
“Everywhere you turn, people are celebrating this season, and that tells you the uniqueness of this season. Despite the ‘interesting economy’, people still have time to say thank you to God for sparing their lives from January to December.”
Sanwo-Olu noted that emergency management in the state has become a model for other states, which have been coming to gain knowledge.
She concluded with prayers for a prosperous New Year.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, commended the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for prioritising emergency management through unrestricted access and immediate support.
He noted that the agency, under the administration of Sanwo-Olu, had evolved in capacity and scope of operations.
Oke-Osanyintolu highlighted that the agency had improved its emergency response through the establishment of Local Emergency Management Committees across the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas.
The PS also commended the First Lady for her advisory role to the agency, which had helped to improve its operations.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Sesan Ogundeko, commended LASEMA for its proactiveness in emergency situations across the state.
According to him, emergency management calls for thanksgiving after a successful year.
“Christmas carol and thanksgiving services are generally held to honour God. The kind of job that LASEMA does is a volatile one that requires them to be on the road all the time.
“They are also involved in high-risk tasks such as the removal of trailers and working at accident scenes, among others. These are high-impact jobs that require thanksgiving to God at the end of the year,” Ogundeko added.