Demonstrating care in a period of crisis

Property Mart

Propertymart

Propertymart

When President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the total lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory on March 29 as part of efforts to control the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country, the hearts of many individuals, especially in Lagos, palpitated.

The reason simply being approximately 6 million of the city’s 20 million population are in the informal sector. They include the hairdressers, petty traders,  vulcanizers, printers, welders, bakers, hawkers, transporters and other artisans who earn a daily wage. Besides, a modest 1.7 million of the city’s population live in poverty.

Well aware of the implication of President Buhari’s lockdown order, corporate bodies and other organisations have joined in efforts to combat the disease. While some embarked on aggressive public enlightenment on how to keep safe and avoid contracting the disease, others provided palliatives to assist people.

One of such companies that did both – public sensitisation and provision of palliatives – was leading real estate company, Propertymart Real Estate Investment Limited.  As an organisation alive to its moral and ethical obligations to its immediate community, Propertymart embarked on a public sensitisation awareness on COVID-19 in Shangisha and its environs where its head office is located.

Staff members of the company educated people about personal hygiene, social distancing, and other measures to avoid contracting the virus. They reiterated the need to maintain good personal health, avoid touching their faces and washing their hands regularly with soap.

The Propertymart staff also advised them to comply with all laws by the Federal and State governments to curb the spread of COVID-19, noting that it’s for their safety. A healthcare kit containing sanitisers and medicated soap, among others were also distributed to people by the company.

To mitigate the negative impact of the COVID–19 pandemic on homes in the neighbourhood, the company shared foodstuff to well over 220 households.

Representatives of Propertymart also visited the palace of the Oba of Shangisha, Oba Jamiu Adetola Ajibola Lawal and left food items for his household.  Nobody was left out of the palliative, as even security guards in some premises got food items.

“This is a thoughtful gesture, and we express our gratitude to Propertymart. They could have chosen to go elsewhere, but they decided that their immediate community should benefit first. God will continue to prosper the company,” said one of the beneficiaries, Mrs Joy.

Commenting on the company’s interventions, Propertymart’s Business Head, Abimbola Arasi, said it was a continuation of its robust corporate social responsibility initiatives. He explained that the company which has delivered over 6,000 housing units and serviced plots to families and individuals in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) couldn’t just sit idle and fail to provide relief to people.

“Shangisha and environs are our immediate community. Though no one expected the pandemic, we just can’t be unfeeling while people struggle to make ends meet as a result of the disruptions it has caused in their daily lives and businesses,” he said.

Mr. Arasi explained that Propertymart began its CSR response with the sensitisation campaign to educate people about the deadly nature of the virus and how to avoid contracting it.

“You know, some people assumed it was a hoax, and we needed to let them know it was insidious. That was why we embarked on the enlightenment campaign before the food relief. Upon the realisation that people might be running out of food items in their houses, we also decided to intervene in that area. We are happy that the lockdown is being gradually eased. This will enable people that have exhausted their stock to restock,” he said.

Arasi added that even when the pandemic is defeated, Propertymart will not shirk its responsibilities to its immediate community and others that might need its assistance.

 

 

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