LASG begins disbursement of N1.6bn as 250 indigent residents receive cheques
By Adeola Ogunrinde
The Lagos State Government on Monday commenced the distribution of cheques to indigent residents as part of its intervention programme to disburse the N1.6 billion earmarked for the exercise this year.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, Dr. Tajudeen Afolabi, disclosed this shortly after the disbursement to 250 vulnerable residents. The amounts reflected on the cheques varied according to individual requests, with the minimum payment at N200,000, while others received up to N500,000. The benchmark was pegged at N1.5 million.
“We thank you for witnessing the first distribution of cheques,” Afolabi said. “The amount varies depending on what you requested from the government. In your letters, there were different captions and needs — some asked for funds to start a business, some needed assistance with school fees, healthcare, or house rent.”
“To qualify, you must provide your LASRRA number to confirm residency in Lagos, your NIN to verify Nigerian citizenship, a passport photograph, and your phone number. These are the prerequisites for us to process your request. If your letter contains a justifiable need, then we approve the support. What you write in your letter determines what we give,” he explained.
Afolabi further revealed that a sub-committee is responsible for reviewing the letters and making recommendations for approval.
“The least we give is N200,000, while the benchmark is N1.5 million. You don’t need to know anyone to benefit. For health-related requests, a supporting letter from a hospital must be attached,” he added.
He also announced that another batch of residents would receive support in about two to three weeks, following the Sallah festival.
Afolabi had earlier disclosed, during a ministerial press briefing to mark the second year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office, that N1.6 billion had been allocated to support vulnerable residents in the state.
As part of the social intervention programme tagged ‘Sanwo-Olu Listens’, the government has spent N2.461 billion on 8,690 beneficiaries over the last four years.
“Mr. Governor has been supporting this programme since its launch in 2020. So far, a total of 8,690 beneficiaries have been reached. We are currently verifying a new set of applicants, and in due time, they will be invited to collect their cheques,” he said.
