Lagos residents benefit from poverty alleviation programme

No fewer than 50 Lagos residents, on Tuesday, benefited from a poverty alleviation programme designed to lift many vulnerable residents out of poverty as they were presented with cheques at a programme organised by the Lagos State Office of Civic Engagement.

Presenting the cheques to the first batch of the beneficiaries, the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said poverty remained one of the world‘s most important challenges, saying his administration was determined to implement programmes that would engender economic growth and create more employment in the state.

The Special Adviser Office of Civic Engagement, Princess Aderemi Adebowale, in her address, said the governor had through the Office of Agency completed the disbursement of the financial assistance to 2,000 Lagosians under the “Eko Cares” initiative with the theme: “Go Forward – Grow Lagos.”

According to her, with the funds provided under this scheme, beneficiaries were exposed to business and investment opportunities requiring minimal start-up capital, describing the programme as “yet another life-impacting initiative.”

“I am, therefore, delighted to welcome Mr Governor, members of the State Executive Council and all dignitaries present here to yet another life-impacting initiative ‘Sanwo-Olu Listen,’ a social welfare programme designed to provide financial assistance to vulnerable citizens in Lagos State.

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“Sanwo-Olu Listens’ is borne out of the continuous aspirations of the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu Administration to support struggling individuals in the state as clearly stated during Mr Governor’s electioneering campaign.

“It is an understatement that a lot of people need financial assistance to solve a mirage of challenges ranging from chronic ailments, accidents, diverse degrees of disasters, to loss of jobs, businesses and livelihoods occasioned by the prevalence of COVID-19 pandemic which has ravaged the world,” Adebowale stated.

She said the situation has prompted the present administration to initiate practical and progressive solutions towards providing succour to vulnerable Lagosians, disclosing that for some months, the Office of Civic Engagement had undergone screening and shortlisting of applications and nominations received from various platforms in the public domain with beneficiaries emerging according to the degree and nature of their various financial challenges.

“The process of selecting the beneficiaries for financial support was transparent and rigorous. An Intra-Ministerial Screening Committee was set up in the Office of Civic Engagement to facilitate the selection process. In addition, the Office has equally put in place a monitoring team that would monitor the beneficiaries so as to ensure that whatever assistance received today is utilized appropriately.

“However, it is imperative to note that execution of this programme would not have been possible but for the approval and release of funds by our magnanimous and compassionate Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“Your kind gesture, without any iota of doubt, will get a good number of citizens on their feet again, uplifting them socio-economically, and thus enhancing security, the safety of lives and property and peaceful communal co-existence in the state,” she said.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

poverty alleviation programme