Lagos State government on Monday commenced the disbursement of N1.6 billion earmarked for alleviation of poverty in the state this year with 250 residents receiving their cheques.
The special adviser to the governor on Political, Legislative and Civic Engagements, Dr Tajudeen Afolabi made the disclosure shortly after the presentation of the cheques to 250 vulnerable residents who converged on the state secretariat to collect the cheques.
The amount reflected on the cheques varied according to request made. The least payment was N200,000 while others got N500,000, while the benchmark stood at N1.5million.
Afolabi said, “We thank you for witnessing the first distribution of cheques. The money varies depending on what you ask from the government. In your letter with different captions, and different requests, some request for money to trade, request to send their children to schools, some on health challenges and some on house rents.
“You have to give us your LASRAA to ascertain you live and stay in Lagos, your NIN that you are a Nigerian, your passport photograph and your phone no. These are the prerequisites for us to treat your letter.
“If your request is justifiable enough, then we give the money to you. What is in your letter determines what we give you.”
He explained further that there is a sub-committee that peruses the letters for consideration for eventual approval.
“The least we give is N300,000 in view of current economic reality, the benchmark is N1.5million, you don’t have to know anyone before we give to you. If it has to do with health challenges, you attach a letter from the hospital in your request.”
He added that another batch of residents will be given in about two or three weeks after the Sallah festival.
Afolabi had earlier disclosed during a ministerial press briefing to mark the second year of the second term of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu in office that the N1.6bn had been earmarked for the vulnerable in the state.
He noted as part of social intervention programme, tagged, ‘Sanwo-Olu Listens,’ the Lagos State Government has expended the sum of N2.461bn for 8,690 beneficiaries for the vulnerable residents in the last four years.
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