By Taiye Olayemi
Lagos – Some residents of Gowon Estate, Ipaja, Lagos State, on Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to fulfil her promised assistance to vulnerable persons in the society.
They made the call at the closing of a three-day data capturing for vulnerable persons by the National Social Safety Net Programme (NSSNP) held at the Gowon Estate Central Mosque, Ipaja Lagos.
Those who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) urged that the registration should be accompanied with palliatives as promised by the federal government in the areas of health care, food security and education.
NAN reports that the data capturing exercise is an initiative of the federal government, through the NSSNP.
The exercise was meant to gather data of vulnerable persons in society for easy access to them whenever there is any form of assistance to be given to them.
Alhaji Daud Oyebanji, Chairman of Gowon Estate Community Development Area, described the entire process as seamless.
Oyebanji, therefore, appealed to the federal government to bring its promise to fruition.
He lauded the initiative, saying it would enable the government to have a database of vulnerable people that genuinely need palliatives.
The chairman said that with the database handy, residents would be able to hold their community chairmen responsible for any failure.
“We want government to know that we are able to mobilise the vulnerable persons in the community because there is a promise and hope of helping them.
“Government should fulfil her promise so as to save our faces as community leaders.
“Many vulnerable persons in society, who are pensioners that have served the nation in various capacities but without something tangible to show for it, are in need of one help or the other.
“We appreciate government but we appeal that the federal, state and local governments fulfil their promise to the vulnerable,’’ he added.
Mr Lukman Imam, Assistant Team Head, NSSNP, expressed satisfaction over the entire exercise and commended the efforts of the community development chairmen.
Imam said that the team registered data of over 500 vulnerable persons in the estate in ward B while similar exercise had been carried out at wards C and E, all in Abesan and Okunola areas of Mosan Okunola Local Council Development Area of the state.
According to him, the exercise is successful with the help of the community development chairmen and other officials who mobilised the vulnerable in the community.
The team head explained that the objective of the data capturing “is for the federal government to have their data in case there are future programmes to be extended to them, they will be easily assessed’’.
Mrs Toyin Adeyemi, a pensioner who had been registered, said that many people were insinuating that the entire registration process could turn out to be a scam.
Adeyemi urged government to prioritise health care, education and feeding assistance for the vulnerable persons in the society.
“It is high time that government should make medical care free for all and reduce the cost of education.
“Many people in society cannot afford to take care of their health due to financial constraints.
“Also, not many people can afford a meal per day and government must wade into these problems as soon as possible,’’ she said.
Also, Mrs Royal Ekpang, a trader said government must wake up to its responsibility and be answerable to the clarion call of the masses.
(NAN)