Lagos govt hands out tools to over 5,000 skill acquisition graduates

Lagos State government on Thursday handed over tools to over 5,000 2024 graduates of skill acquisition centres across the state trained by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) in vulcanizing, welding, aluminum fabrication, carpentry, photography, barbing, catering, hairdressing, among others.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who handed the tools to the graduates, at an event, which took place at the Blue Roof, Alausa, Ikeja, urged the skill acquisition graduates to be patient and persevere as they grow their businesses, saying that they should not to quit when faced with challenges.

The governor said their graduation is a call to action and also an opportunity for them to turn around the fortune of their family and start their own life, adding: “There will be challenges but stay on your course.”

“This graduation is a call to action for you. It’s for you to see where you are coming from. You have an opportunity now to turn around the fortune of your family and start your own life. You must have purpose, you have gone through a process and now you must go out and succeed. Don’t give up and don’t quit.

“You must create relationships with people. There will be challenges but stay on your course,” the governor counselled.

The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, in her remark, said the graduates stood as a “symbol of hope, resilience and determination,” urging them to see their training as a life changing opportunity for them.

She charged them to always set goals, saying that they must know the challenges in their choice businesses and be proactive every time.

“You must set goals at all times. Know the challenges to your business. Always be proactive and replan. This graduation is a reaffirmation of our belief that when we empower women and men, we secure the future of Lagos.

“Have integrity and watch your character. Continue to sharpen your skills and embrace new ideas,” she said.

The State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Bolaji Dada, said the training was to prepare the graduates to become job creators and employers of labour, adding that it would improve the economic growth of the state  as well as reduce poverty.

Dada further said that the training demonstrated the government’s unwavering commitment to inclusive development and the empowerment of every segment of the  society especially women, youth, and the vulnerable, disclosing that over 28,000 graduates have been produced from the skills acquisition centres, since the inception of the Sanwo-Olu administration.

According to her, through one of the state’s flagship initiatives, tagged: Life Skills Economic Empowerment Programme (LEEP), a  four-week intensive training programme targeted at women and vulnerable groups, graduates have been produced from Agbowa, Ejirin, Ado,  Ikosi-Ejirin,  Otta-Ikosi, Odo-Ayandelu, Ajeregun, Imota and Lagos Island training centres.

The commissioner commended Governor Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat for supporting the ministry.

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