Lagos — LAGOS State government has doled out N24 million to correct the cleft and palate deformity of six patients currently undergoing medication at the State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.

Gov. Babatunde Fashola disclosed this yesterday moments after inspecting the patients who are on their sixth circle surgery operation to correct the anomaly.

Speaking with newsmen after the visit, the governor said the gesture was part of fulfilling his electioneering promises to the citizenry who voted him to power last April.

Gov. Fashola who however acknowledged that his predecessor, Bola Tinubu initiated the exercise, said the programme would on completion restore smiles on the faces of the recipients and afford them to live better in the Lagos of their dream.

"This is our own poverty alleviation and eradication; we are determined to uplift the weak; this is a challenge to us, the free and fit to encourage them to face the future challenges. In the nearest future, they may become surgeons, medical doctors in this hospital or even governors or president of the country," he said.

He assured Lagosians that the programme would continue as long as he remains the governor of the state, saying "I am delighted to fulfill part of the promises I made during my campaigns. Speaking further, he said it was also a way of putting the state's medical experts at the disposal of the poor at no costs to them, "These children, with the restoration of their mouths to normal will have the chance of being what they wanted to be in life and leave the dreams they have," he added

Earlier, the governor had also inspected the Tarzan and Texas Connections Jetties respectively where he assured that their redevelopment of the jetties would soon commence.