Diran Adeyemi (not real name), a Lagos-based business owner, was shortlisted for a grant to cushion the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on small scale businesses, but he would be defrauded by the government officials in charge of disbursement.
In response to the pandemic, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSTF), initiated a grant for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The government disbursed the grant through ‘COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES)’, a subunit under LSTF.
A website was created to allow applicants register for the intervention, and Adeyemi applied for N350,000.
“A government official was sent to my office to find out if truly I ran a business. She interviewed me briefly, asking how long I had been running the business, the challenges the business faced and a few other questions,” said Adeyemi.
Adeyemi had got a congratulatory message from the scheme on March 23, 2021. “Your application for Lagos MSMEs Recovery Fund 2.0 was successful and you have been awarded a grant sum to support your business in this difficult time,” the text read.
“Kindly visit our Liaison offices at your respective LGAs from Thursday, 24th March 2022, to pick up your grant offer letter. Please ensure that you come along with the following: Access Bank account, a witness from your organization, national Identity card and evidence of your business account.”
