No fewer than 400 alabarus (porters) in Bodija market, on Thursday, received food packages courtesy of the Jolly Rogers Deck of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Pyrates Confraternity.
According to the leader of the group, Mr Olufemi Adesope, the gesture is in realisation of the fact that the porters constitute a category of people that greatly bear the brunt of the current hardship.
Under what was called ‘palliative initiative,’ the Seadogs handed over food packages containing rice, spaghetti, Maggi, salt, yam flour to the porters, estimated at over N2 million.
Adesope tasked government to be people-focused and institute policies that are enduring and actually aimed at alleviating suffering.
This is as he called on well-meaning individuals, organisations to come to aid of the masses, the majority of Nigerians who presently live uncomfortable lives.
Adesope assured that the group would also develop sustainable programmes for the porters to sustainably feed their families.
Also speaking, Mr Okekearu Fabian said each of the beneficiaries got a food package worth N8,000.
He said the hardship in the society was palpable as while it prepared to distribute packages to 200 persons, over 400 porters showed up.
He charged government and well-meaning individuals to help relieve the downtrodden
of the burden imposed upon them by the present economic realities.
The beneficiaries, in their remarks, paid glowing tributes to the Seadogs saying that the package guaranteed themselves and their families no fewer than two meals.
They demanded similar palliatives be provided to them by other non-governmental organisations and government.
and then