Letters are generally written to individuals or organisations.
The person the letter is directed to determines the context and choice of language to be used. Letters are structured based on purpose, motive and the receiver.
A formal letter is a kind of letter that is used in an official setup. The focus of a formal letter is always to address a key issue. It doesn’t beat about the bush or show any form of familiarity.
The purpose of a formal letter may include a formal request, lodging a complaint, giving detailed information about a situation, applying for a job, addressing a legal issue, etc. It is a kind of letter that is void of slang, abbreviations and colloquial language.
A formal letter has the following layout:
Address
This is a two-way thing, the receiver’s address and the sender’s address.
The address of the sender is always placed at the top right-hand corner of your note or a page. This also attracts the date of the letter:
51 Aminu Kano Crescent,
Off Kashim Ibrahim Way,
Wuse 2,
Abuja, FCT.
15th of February, 2024.
Always ensure that the address is punctuated appropriately as this also attracts marks in examination settings. The address can either be block or slant in nature. If the letter is going outside the country, the country’s name where the sender is writing from must precede the date. For instance:
51 Aminu Kano Crescent,
Off Kashim Ibrahim Way,
Wuse 2,
Abuja, FCT,
Nigeria.
15th of February, 2024.
The receiver’s address begins with the receiver’s position, followed by the address. It is placed at the left-hand corner of the note or page. This comes immediately after the writer’s address:
The Chairman,
Abuja Municipal Area Council,
45, Secretariat Road,
Central Area,
Abuja.
Kindly note: In a situation where you are using a company or organisation letterhead, the writer’s address will not be included, you will only write the date as the details of the address are already included in the letterhead.
Salutation
There is formality attached to this. It is simply Dear Sir or Dear Ma/Madam, followed by a comma. In a case where you know the name of the person you are addressing the letter to, then you can have:
Dear Prof. Chuks Anthony,
Dear Dr. Mrs. Brian, etc.
Title
This includes the purpose of the letter in a few words. This should be coined logically and intelligently, such that it gives the reader or receiver a basic idea about what the letter is about. For example, Lack of Social Amenities in Obafemi –Owode Local Government, Letter of Request for Tuition Fee Waiver, Application Letter, etc.
Introductory Paragraph
This must seize and capture the receiver’s attention. It is important to go straight to the point with a bold statement and avoid statement that shows familiarity such as, How are you? I miss you. When will you come to my house? etc.
Here, the reader should get a basic idea of the reason behind the letter and what it is all about before diving into the explicit form of the letter. You can also acknowledge the receipt of the previous letter with the date if it applies. E.g.
I am writing concerning the lack of social amenities in Obafemi Owode Local Government which has made life unbearable for the dwellers and has led to the death of many dwellers.
Or
I am writing to your esteemed office due to the letter I received on the 10th of February, 2024, where you requested the basic social amenities that the Abuja Municipal Area Council is lacking and how this will affect the people.
Body of the Paragraph
Detailed information is needed here. You are expected to be courteous, polite and careful with your choice of words. Each point you are willing to write must be done in paragraphs, meaning if you have 4 points or issues to raise, it will be done in 4 paragraphs.
Complimentary Paragraph
This is the closing paragraph. While closing the letter in a formal letter, Yours faithfully is used, followed by your signature, name, and designation. It is placed at the right-hand corner of your page or note.
Sample of a Formal letter
Write a letter to your local government chairman requesting essential basic amenities for your community and stating why they are urgently required.
51 Aminu Kano Crescent,
Off Kashim Ibrahim Way,
Wuse 2,
Abuja, FCT.
15th of February, 2024.
The Chairman,
Abuja Municipal Area Council,
45, Secretariat Road,
Central Area,
Abuja.
Dear Hon. Abdullahi Candido,
URGENT NEED FOR BASIC AMENITIES
I am writing to bring to your attention the urgent need for essential amenities in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory. I would like to congratulate you on your successful election as the new AMAC Chairman. It is a great delight for the youths in this area council as we are assured of your passion for development and education before now. It gave me great joy when you requested this information on the basic amenities that are lacking.
The basic amenities that we need in AMAC are functioning healthcare units, street lights, and portable water supply. I would like to highlight the absence of functioning healthcare centres in AMAC. By functioning, I mean health centres with adequate medical facilities and personnel. In recent times, most of the medical personnel in most of the health centres are always not available in cases of emergency and when I made my findings, it was discovered that the Doctors and Nurses have all left for greener pastures, either to another standard hospital in our locality or outside of Nigeria.
Just like we all know, access to healthcare services is fundamental to the welfare of any society, especially in a community such as AMAC which is the heart of Abuja. Yet, many residents in our area face challenges in obtaining timely medical care due to the lack of facilities which has led to the death of many.
Currently, most of the nearest healthcare facility is located in business districts rather than residential areas, making it inaccessible for many residents, particularly the elderly, disabled individuals, and those without reliable transportation. This lack of accessible healthcare services does not only endangers lives in cases of emergencies but also hampers preventative care and routine medical check-ups, leading to the exacerbation of health issues that could have been addressed with timely intervention.
Furthermore, the AMAC resident area is faced with inadequate street lighting. There is no doubt that we have adequate light on the highways, but in recent times, places like Lugbe, Utako and some parts of Kubwa express way, currently suffer from poorly lit streets, particularly pedestrian overhead bridges. This lack of adequate lighting poses significant safety risks, especially during the night. It increases the likelihood of accidents, and crime, and makes pedestrians, particularly children and the elderly, feel vulnerable and unsafe when navigating the streets at night. Recently, I gathered from people around my residence that some men have made it a point of duty to steal the light during the night. This is quite disheartening to know that some people derive joy in stealing what is meant to bring light to the streets at night.
Similarly, the people of AMAC are in dire need of a reliable and consistent supply of clean portable water. Our community has been facing persistent challenges with accessing clean water for some time now. Most especially after the repair of the roads. Some eyewitnesses and community members stated that some of the pipes supplying water from the water board were tapered during the last road repair and nothing has been done about it since then. Many households rely on shallow wells and boreholes, which are often insufficient and unreliable, especially during dry seasons or periods of drought. This scarcity of clean water not only poses a health risk to AMAC residents but also leads to conflicts and tensions within the community as people struggle to secure this vital resource.
In conclusion, I would like to present you with some of the possible solutions you have requested. Construct healthcare facilities within AMAC residential areas and see to it that qualified and experienced staff are retained always. Deployment of medically inclined Corps members to the various healthcare centres will also reduce the numbers of causality and death rates that are recorded daily. Establishing a community health centre would ensure that residents have convenient access to essential healthcare services, including routine check-ups, vaccinations, and minor treatments. It would also serve as a hub for health education and promotion, empowering residents to take proactive measures towards maintaining their well-being.
The water board pipelines that have been vandalised can be fixed and we will be able to have a reliable water supply system. A law should be established that anyone who is repairing roads should ensure that whatever damage that is being done should be fixed before leaving the site. The street light should be fixed and if possible, a CCTV camera should be placed around the street to get footage of those who steal the street lights. I also respectfully request that you prioritise the allocation of resources and funds toward its establishment.
I believe that addressing these urgent needs will not only improve the living conditions of AMAC residents but also contribute to the sustainable development and prosperity of the nation as a whole. Thank you for considering this matter, and I look forward to your prompt action and support in addressing these pressing issues.
Yours faithfully,
(Signature)
Tanko Ahmed
Youth Leader
Take Note: A formal letter generally has its ending as ‘Yours faithfully’ but in recent times, we have seen formal letters ending with words like Yours sincerely, sincerely, etc.
To be on the safer side as a student and most importantly in an exam situation, always end your formal letter with Yours faithfully as examiners/markers will always stand by rules, and ensure you avoid colloquial language.
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