The State Government has set aside N4 billion as grant under the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) to empower more Nigerians resident in the state with ingenious business ideas.
About 600 people are billed to benefit from the fund which is in collaboration with Access Bank Plc, with 50 percent of the would-be beneficiaries being women, Gbenga Omotosho, the state commissioner for information and strategy, disclosed at a news conference, Tuesday, ahead of the 100 days in office of Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
Also, about 1,700 people have been shortlisted to benefit from a World Bank assisted Agricultural programme with each of the beneficiaries receiving the sum of N2 million.
This was also as the governor handed over a 110-bed Mother Child Maternity (MCC) at Ajah, aimed at reducing mother/child mortality in the state.
The new facility which sits on a four-floor edifice and fitted with facilities such as intensive care baby unit, first stage labour room, recovery room, operating theatre, emergency resuscitation room, is the eighth delivered in Lagos from the administration of Babatunde Fashola till date. It is majorly targeted at reducing incidence of mother/child mortality in the state.
Sanwo-Olu also commissioned a block of 14-classrooms donated by the Redeemed Christian Church God (RCCG) also in Eti-Osa, where he commended the church and called for stronger partnerships between his administration and the private sector.
Sanwo-Olu believed that the health facility would provide accessible and affordable healthcare to the people of the state, especially mother and children.
The state commissioner for health, Akin Abayomi, speaking at the event, said an estimated that out of every 100,000 pregnant women, 576 of them die at childbirth while that for Lagos is currently estimated at 555.
He also disclosed that for every 1,000 live births in Nigeria, 77 don’t live to make it to their first birthday while for Lagos that figure is 45.
“While Lagos is marginally better than the rest of Nigeria, we still have a long way to go. This MCC is therefore designated to serve the local community and contribute to improving Universal Health Coverage for the good people of Lagos State,” Abayomi said.
Among other facilities slated for commissioning in the state, according to Omotosho, are the Lateef Jakande Garden; Igando,
And to promote public security, the governor, the commissioner said, would also be handing over 120 patrol vehicles and 35 motorcycles for the use of security operatives in the state on Thursday, September 5.
“It is important to highlight that the donation of the patrol vehicles and motorcycles also speaks to pillar 4 of THEME which is making Lagos a 21st century economy. This is in view of the significance of security to the socio-economic wellbeing of the citizenry,” said Omotosho.
JOSHUA BASSEY
