COVID -19: Food relief packages are for indigent, vulnerable persons only – Lagos government 

The Lagos State Government has said that identified lapses in the distribution of food relief packages to indigent, vulnerable residents of the state are being redressed.

In a statement to correct some misconceptions, deliberate distortions by mischief makers and negative media reports concerning the initiative, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, the State Commissioner for Information & Strategy​ said, for one that the relief packages are not meant for everybody in Lagos but for the vulnerable and indigent, noting that about 100,000 of the intended recipients had already been reached.

Full text of the statement reads:

In the past few days, the social media have been awash with biased opinions about the welfare package initiative of the Lagos State Government to support the indigent and the vulnerable.

The welfare package was one of the various decisions taken by the Lagos State Executive Council to ease the discomfort thrust on Lagosians by the lockdown announced by the Federal Government, especially on those who earn daily income.

It has become necessary to reiterate the modus of distribution of the welfare package as well as the category of beneficiaries of the government’s compassionate gesture, which is deliberately being distorted by mischief-makers.

For the avoidance of doubt, the first stage of the welfare package was designed to cater for 200,000 households, comprising of a father, mother and four children across the 20 local governments and the 37 local council development authorities. It is a misconception that it was meant for all Lagosians. No.

All aged residents who are above 60 years old and registered with the Lagos State Residents’ Registration Agency, LASRRA, were sent text messages and requested to confirm the accuracy of their details, such as name and home address. They have since responded to the text messages so as to benefit from the package.

The food relief materials for the above 60 group are being delivered directly to the beneficiaries by representatives of the State Government based on the data with the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency.

The other category of beneficiaries comprises the indigent and vulnerable within the various communities at the grassroots.

As part of strategies to ensure that the relief packages reach the deserving beneficiaries, the State government involved Community Development Associations and their Committees as well as Community and Religious Leaders to collate the names of community members who deserve to benefit from the palliative measure.

The CDAs were also tasked to ensure the items were judiciously distributed.

The government is constantly monitoring the process and has observed some lapses that gave rise to the negative comments on some social media platforms.

The issues are being addressed to fine-tune the strategies adopted in getting the food items across to the intended recipients of the package.

In all, about 100,000 households across the State have been reached since the exercise started.

Lagosians should remain confident that the State Government is working to ensure that the lapses are addressed so that the vulnerable, who Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said will not suffer, will benefit from this laudable intervention.

Gbenga Omotoso

Commissioner for Information & Strategy​