Lagos offers food, cash relief to residents

The Lagos State Government has described the latest phase of its rice distribution and cash support programme for vulnerable households as part of a sustained social protection initiative aimed at easing the economic burden on low-income residents across the state.

According to a statement made available to Sunday PUNCH, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs Olayinka Ojo, said the state government had several other social intervention programmes in place to support residents through initiatives implemented by various Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Ojo said, “I urge residents to continue to trust the government whenever there are calls for data collection, as this enables their inclusion in the Lagos State Social Register, which serves as the basis for identifying eligible beneficiaries.”

The statement noted that over 1,500 beneficiaries were selected across the state under the intervention coordinated by the Lagos State Operations Coordinating Unit of the Social Protection Coordinating Department, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture.

The exercise, held in Alausa, Ikeja, targeted poor and vulnerable households captured in the state’s Single Social Register, a database designed to facilitate the delivery of government welfare programmes.

Beneficiaries in the first phase were drawn from Agege, Amuwo-Odofin, Ikeja, Kosofe and Lagos Island Local Government Areas, while distribution to other local government areas will continue in phases throughout the week.

One of the beneficiaries, Blessing Olanrewaju from Kosofe Local Government Area, said she received support through the Lagos State Single Social Register after being enrolled for several years.

I was recently contacted and invited to receive assistance. I had almost lost hope, but I received a call informing me that I had been selected. Today, I am happy to receive this support,” Olanrewaju said.

Another beneficiary, Mr Shola Oyekanmi, from Agege Local Government Area, described the initiative as timely and impactful, urging residents to participate in government registration exercises to improve their chances of accessing future interventions.

Other beneficiaries appealed to the state government to sustain the initiative, saying many vulnerable residents across the state still require assistance.