The Delivery Platform DLi 1:3 of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation under the Nigerian COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus programme has reiterated its commitment to an extended one-year empowerment strategy of reviving failing businesses which were incapacitated by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Disclosing this at the Performance and Technical Review Workshop for Livelihood Support Officials held recently at the Women Development Centre, Agege, the Head of State Cares Coordinating Unit, Lagos CARES, Mr. Basit Baruwa stated that the success of the Livelihood Support DLI 1:3, since 2021, will further earn about 50,000 vulnerable Lagos residents more opportunities to become beneficiaries of the programme in coming months.
He said, “The Lagos CARES domesticated from the NG-CARES programme, enabled Lagos State to come fourth in a National rating among the 36 States in the whole Federation. Livelihood Support of the Delivery Platform 1:3 under the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has done very well at empowering indigent and vulnerable residents who were monitored to conform with the Social Register of Lagos State, in order to receive financial literacy and operational grants as support for their various businesses”.
“These well-coordinated profiling and impeccable operations have earned an extension of the programme by one year, from its initially slated 2021-2023 process. It will now round off in 2024 for successfully impacting businesses of the vulnerable in Lagos Communities”, Baruwa added.
While calling for improved professionalism from the officials, the SCCU leader maintained that Independent Verification Agents will conduct random scrutiny of the project, hence, officials should desist from cutting corners or blackmailing beneficiaries, as such anomaly will lead to sanctioning or imprisonment.
Earlier in her address, the Head of the Delivery Platform DLi 1:3, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Salami informed that a total of 2,846 residents under Livelihood Support 1:3, had benefited from Cash Grants across the Lagos Metropolis.
She said: “Your professionalism must exude excellence which Lagos State is noted for. This programme has enabled 2,846 ailing businesses to stay up across the five divisions of the State. An assessment survey reflected this effect that several lives had been impacted. Hence, I urge you all to endure the technical hitches for deliberate remodifications as you prepare to do more for the glory of Lagos State on this National Collaboration with World Bank”.
Also speaking, the Consultant Alpha Omega Consult, Dr. Gbola Adebayo, who proffered ways on appraisal review for excellent delivery, stated that the short livelihood support and soft skills training was targeted at providing economically viable ventures for vulnerable residents, hence, conscientiousness becomes a focal tool for all officials on the project towards helping Lagos State attain its deserving glory.
