Sanwo-olu to LASRRA: Register 10m residents by Dec 31

With 6.5 million of its 22 million estimated population already registered, Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu yesterday gave the state’s registration agency, the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency a matching order to ensure that no fewer than 10 million residents are registered by December 31, this year.
The 164 day deadline is the highlight of the state’s helmsman’s address to residents of the state in five other locations in Ikotun, Onikan, Epe, Badagry and Ikorodu connected by virtual network technology to the Police College venue of the central re-launch in Ikeja.
Governor Sanwo-olu, who flew in from Abuja after attending the presentation of Senator Kashim Shettima as the vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, apologized to the audience for coming two hours behind schedule.
He commended former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola for initiating the identity card management scheme for Lagos as a critical tool for planning.
Praising the technology team of the administration for transforming the card to an instrument with multiple advanced features including enabling access to credit and social services of the government, Governor Sanwo-olu appealed to Lagosians to embrace the new card because it will determine the way business and social life will be conducted in the city.
His words: “ The re-launch is particularly significant because it demonstrates our administration’s commitment to the Smart City vision which seeks to integrate and embed cutting edge technology into our daily lives and our daily interaction with government and public services.”
Stressing the role the smart card will play in securing and protecting Lagosians, Governor Sanwo-olu said it will improve the security of lives and property in the state.
“ This “Smart” Resident Card will help address the issues surrounding the identification and traceability of Lagos residents and ultimately help inform Government’s planning and provision of services designed to secure lives and property.” He said.
He commended the partners- Sterling Bank, Verve, a subsidiary of Interswitch, Prima Garnet and others- for the implementation of the vision.