In response to allegations that many residents of Lagos who are under lockdown did not benefit from the welfare package the government initiated, the state government has said the food packages were never meant for everyone.
In the build-up to the state and the federal government imposed lockdown, the Lagos government initiated welfare packages to ease the inevitable hardship residents would face.
However, when the food packages were distributed, there were complaints by many that they did not get the items. Officials who distributed the relief items were accused of corruption and diverting the commodities.
But the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, said the allegations were baseless.
“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,” the statement read.
Mr. Omotosho said only 200,000 households were targeted in the first stage of the distribution across the 20 local governments and the 37 local council development authorities and that “it is a misconception that it was meant for all Lagosians. No.”
The Commissioner added that persons above 60 years whose details were on the Lagos State Residents’ Registration Agency, (LASRRA) were requested to confirm their names and addresses.
“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 government also said the other categories of the beneficiaries – the indigent and vulnerable within the communities – were selected in partnership with committees in community development associations, religious and community leaders who were asked: “to collate the names of community members who deserve to benefit from the palliative measure.”
Lagos State has an estimated population of over 20 million. Many of the residents are compelled to stay at home for fourteen days order by President Buhari in order to curb the spread of COVID-19. There are speculations that the government may extend the order to stay at home. Some fear the move may be met with resistance by the residents, many who depend on daily income.
“In all, about 100,000 households across the state have been reached since the exercise started.
“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,” he concluded.
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