BREAKING: COVID-19: Cash transfers to Lagosians begins
As Lagos continues to be the state with the highest number of COVID- 19 cases in Nigeria, the state and local governments have been reaching out to the people of the state with relief materials that’s expected to cushion the effects of another 14-Day Stay-at-home order declared by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the National Coordinator of the National Cash Transfer Office (NACTO) of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD) Dr Mrs Temitope Sinkaiye, the poor and vulnerable in Lagos State would start receiving the cash transfer of the federal government.
Speaking at the one-day assessment and preparedness workshop, organised by the NACTO office for Lagos State Government officials at the Elomax Hotels, Maryland, Lagos on Wednesday, Dr Sinkaiye said that the National cash transfer office had to be in Lagos state before the vulnerable people on the register receives the money.
She explained further that there’s a need for such development since Lagos State remains the most hit in the country by the novel coronavirus, prompting federal government to enforce residents to stay-at-home for the main time.
She said, “We are in Lagos, despite the lockdown as a result of the pandemic in order to ensure that we fast track the processes to enroll the poor and vulnerable on our register, so that we can begin to transfer their cash to them, and they would be able to use such funds to meet their immediate needs.”
She said that all stakeholders and other officials are putting in all efforts to ensure that the vulnerable people get their hands on the money as soon as possible. She added that the money is meant for the poorest of the poor, whose lifestyle have become worse due to the outbreak of the COVID- 19 pandemic.
“We have different interventions for different segments, but cash transfer is just addressing the bottom poor. There are other interventions for other segments of the poor in the society,” Dr Sinkaiye said.
Mrs Oluwakemi Adedeji, State Coordinator of the Lagos State Operations Coordinating Unit (Lagos SOCU), said the SOCU office are working tirelessly to compile the least, reaching 30 of the 57 local governments in the state. She assured the poor and the vulnerable that they’ll begin the cash transfer as soon as possible.
In attendance as well were, Commissioners for Economic Planning and Budget Mr Sam Egube, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment Mrs Yetunde Arobieke, and other top officials of the Lagos State government.
