IBRAHIM QUADRI
Lagos State Government has sanctioned 21 money lenders who defaulted in the last one year.
The State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon Ibrahim Layode made the disclosure during the ongoing ministerial press briefing to mark the second year of the second term in office of the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Alausa, Ikeja.
The Commissioner, who disclosed that a total number of 623 money lenders operate in the State, stated that in order to protect the interest of Lagosians, the State government do carry out up-to-date oversight on their activities.
He added that in the course of the oversight, 21 money lenders were found guilty and had been sanctioned accordingly.
Layode said, “The complexities of the money lenders and also how the ministry has been able to cope with the issue. As we have said, we have a total number of 623 money lenders in the city.
“Out of that 623, a total number of 474 has reapplied while 147 have sent new applications. And if you add everything together, we have 623.
“If they don’t come to the ministry to come and renew their licences, we are trying to sanction them also. So far, we have been able to sanction them and sealed their offices with a total number of 21.
He added, “Like some of them also who changed the address of their offices they gave to us in the ministry. Because as a ministry, we also go there and do our routine supervisory role. Getting there, we know this one belong to so-and-so and we found out Mr. Y money lender is no more here. So, as a government, we need to be able to get them sanctioned and let them come and do the right thing.
“The sanction by the ministry will show that they are not supposed to give their money. In this case also, we are not going to charge or sanction all this money. Also, we are also trying to protect their own business as well.
“You know, some other citizens want to take their money and they are being taken for granted. We won’t allow such, and we are trying to ensure we give them also a calculation on what their own business also is. We are not leaving any one of them without tracing and knowing what they are doing, we are ensuring to give them proper monitoring.”
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