Over 5000 women to benefit from N10bn LSETF―Sanwo-Olu

Temitope Adebayo

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu said on Wednesday that over 5000 Lagos women would benefit from the trust fund of the state government aimed at empowering and expanding businesses of residents.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said this while speaking at the launch of the Lagos State empowerment Trust Fund (LSETF), Women Fund and Presentation of Cheques, which took place at the Blue Roof, LTV8, Alausa, Ikeja.

A total of 794 beneficiaries got various cheques to help expand their businesses at the event.

The governor also unveiled the 492 Igando Housing Estate named after the first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, noting that the challenge of housing deficit in the state was real, even as he promised that over 1248 homes shall be delivered in different parts of the state within the next six months.

The governor, while disclosing that the fund targeted at women was had been raised from N4billion to N10billion, said women were being focused because he was committed to taking residents out of poverty and one way to do that was through support for women.

According to him, with the initiative, a lot of people will be taken out of poverty as they will double their sales and businesses, stating that support to a woman was a support to a family and taken them out of poverty.

This was just Governor Sanwo-Olu maintained that the programme had no political affinity, saying it was meant for all residents irrespective of political leaning.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, while unveiling the 492 Igando Housing Estate, observed that to achieve the vision of building a 21st Century economy, there was a need to explore innovative ways including a public and private partnership that would fast track bridging of the housing deficit in the state.

“There is a compelling need for us to develop and adopt a housing delivery model and strategy that take into account our population and limited land space.

“One of the key strategies we will embrace is the global housing policy in which people can become homeowners over time, by tying their ability to acquire houses to their income which is a financing system that is convenient and reasonable.

This policy alongside the outright purchase of houses built by government will support a sustainable system in which homes can be consistently made available to a larger number of people.

“We want Lagosians to be assured that in the delivery of these houses, we shall be consistent. We shall embrace rigorous planning and financial discipline in ensuring that ongoing housing projects located in various parts of the state are delivered on schedule”, he said.

The governor, while promising that a total of 1248 homes would be delivered within the next six months in different parts of the state commended Jakande for being a worthy example as his mass housing projects remained a legacy.