LASRRA warns agents against charging residents for registration

The Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) has cautioned its registration agents against charging residents for LASRRA registration, emphasizing that the process is entirely free. General Manager Bilikis Adebiyi-Abiola delivered this warning during a community awareness program in Ajah, Lagos, urging residents to report any vendors demanding payment for the registration.

She affirmed that LASRRA operates under a zero-tolerance policy against such practices, stressing that the registration service is provided free of charge by the Lagos State Government.

Adebiyi-Abiola pointed out that every station of LASRRA prominently displays a sign indicating that LASRRA registration is free. She urged residents who encounter agents requesting payment to report these instances to the agency to ensure appropriate action. The agency has ramped up its community-based registration efforts, visiting various locations such as communities, schools, and vaccination clinics instead of relying on residents to visit its offices.

Registration begins at birth, and LASRRA has upgraded its technology to facilitate the registration of newborns electronically.

Currently, LASRRA has about seven million residents in its database but is actively pursuing strategies to expand this number. The agency has begun collaborating with the Office of Education Quality Assurance to include private schools in the registration process, as pupils in public schools are already required to be registered.

The minister highlighted several initiatives aimed at increasing registration rates, including outreach to markets, offices, and other communities. These efforts are prompted by low registration rates, attributed to a lack of awareness and residents' busy lifestyles.

LASRRA registration is crucial for residents to access various government services and programs. The agency provided 50 slots at the ongoing Lagos State Trade Fair for registered residents to showcase the benefits of being part of the state's residents' database. Oba Kolawole Olumegbon, the monarch of Okun Ajah Kingdom, praised LASRRA for its community engagement, noting significant improvements in infrastructure development due to the increased registration.

He emphasized that the registration data enables the government to better understand residents' needs and plan accordingly to provide essential amenities. Olumegbon encouraged unregistered residents to participate and urged registered ones to inform others about the advantages of LASRRA registration.