The Lagos State Governorship Candidate of Action Alliance (AA), Mr Tope Balogun, has pledged to provide N500,000 Assurance Grant to five million indigent residents if elected governor in Saturday’s Governorship election in the state.
Balogun told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday that his administration would also create a minimum of 450,000 jobs within the four year term, 200,000 of such jobs would be delivered within six months of taking over governance.
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“We are targeting five million people for our Assurance Grant. We shall also sponsor one million youths with innovative ideas both locally and globally within our four year term.
“The authenticity of the grant is assured by us. I am telling you with all sense of responsibility that government is meant to bring succour and comfort for the masses.
“As much as we are going to be carrying out massive development, infrastructure and other things needed in various community, the government also needs to develop its human resources.
“One of those programmes which we will be using to develop human resources is by giving grants to indigents as well as those struggling for their businesses not to collapse.
“After doing so much of researches about the government of Lagos State and looking at other networks, we can raise funds for the indigents; with all sense of responsibility, the grant is not a scam,” the 40-year-old IT expert said.
According to him, as a committed Muslim, he is expected to say only those things he will be doing if elected and not to deceive the people.
He added: “I will not tell you what we are not going to do. After we emerge, we are going to give grant to a whole lot of people.
“We are going to start immediately we get to office, we are already networking with people that will facilitate and support the government in this area of helping the needy.”
On job creation, Balogun said that practical study had been carried out on how to profitably engaged the youth and the unemployed.
Promising to stop all forms of extortions in the state, Balogun said that people that had ideas and innovations to develop the economy would be given the opportunity thrive.
Urging electorate not to doubt him, Balogun said that his promises were not empty.
“We are so much different from others, the hallmark of governance is to create comfort for the masses which I am out to do. We are coming out to change the status quo.
“I am from the downtrodden, from the lower class just like many residents. I understand where the shoe pinches. Comfort for the people is what makes us unique. Let people vote AA.
“I know that many of us are not asking for too much but little to live a comfortable life, but the little we are asking for does not even get to us,” he said.
In a related development, Alfa Nureni Onimosa, a Board of Trustees member, Centre for Islamic Enlightenment, Lagos State, threw his weights and those of other Alfas behind Balogun, describing him as a “proper Muslim”.
Onimosa, in a statement in Lagos said: “Out of the Muslim candidates in the contest, the only one we know sincerely is Abdurrazaq Tope Balogun. He is our choice as the candidate in Lagos State.
“People should vote for him because he is God’s representative. We have adopted him. We see that if he becomes a leader, he will bring succour and comfort to people,” he said. (NAN)
