•Sanwo-Olu to trainees: ‘It’s time to launch your skills to build your lives’

Women take the lead in the class of trainees empowered in various vocations in the just concluded 2023/2024 skill acquisition courses taken across the 19 skill centres of the Lagos State Government.

Of the 5,512 graduands churned out across the skill acquisition centres on Wednesday, women took the significant number of beneficiaries, affirming the gender and inclusion policy encapsulated in the THEMES+ development agenda of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.

The graduands took courses in 19 crafts in the skill development programme supervised by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA). Their training fees were borne by the State Government.

The Year 2023 graduation ceremony was held at the LTV Blue Roof in Agidingbi, where the Governor personally presented working tools to some of the trainees who performed exceptionally well in their classes.

Sanwo-Olu said the ceremony marked the beginning of socio-economic transformation in the lives of the trainees, noting that the skill acquisition programme was packaged as an intervention to help the beneficiaries develop their crafts and achieve economic independence.

The Governor said the enthusiasm displayed by the graduands indicated their dedication, confidence and readiness to deploy their skills to accelerate economic growth in the States.

He said: “A new journey has just started in your life today with your graduation from our skill acquisition programmes. You have worked hard, shown great resilience and equipped yourselves with valuable skills that will form the foundation of your future success. You are now part of a growing community of empowered individuals, ready to impact not only your own lives but also your communities, Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole.

“As you celebrate this significant milestone, I want to stress the importance of skills acquisition in our collective efforts to reduce poverty and foster economic growth in Lagos. Our Government understands that empowering women, young adults and vulnerable groups is key to building a sustainable society. Through various programmes of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, we have focused on providing practical solutions that promote self-reliance and economic independence.”

Sanwo-Olu said his administration remained committed to creating an environment where skilled individuals would have the opportunity to thrive, stressing that his Government’s dedication to empowering unskilled residents signified the positive impact being made on the State’s economy.

He admonished the graduates to innovate and inspire their peers, urging them to also use their knowledge to create jobs. He told the trainees not to stop learning, reminding them that learning remained a lifelong endeavour.

“As you go into the society to practise your crafts, there is no better thing to give you than to encourage you and tell you we are proud of what you will accomplish. I will advise you to keep seeking knowledge, collaborate with other great minds and give back to your communities. Stay connected with your fellow graduands and leverage the networks you have built along the way,” Sanwo-Olu admonished the trainees.

Commissioner for WAPA, Mrs. Bolaji Dada, said the Sanwo-Olu administration, in the last five years, had trained and empowered residents within diversified vocations, producing a total of 23,604 skilled professionals since 2019.

She said the skill acquisition programmes had changed the lives of the beneficiaries, noting that the graduation of another set of graduands testified to the Governor’s commitments to the vision of building bright future for the residents.

She said: “The Sanwo-Olu administration has further demonstrated its commitment to empowering and supporting citizens by approving and supporting a life-changing programme that will foster economic growth and personal development through essential life skills.

“The Life Skills Economic Empowerment Programme (LEEP) is a tailored programme that aims to encourage start-ups and enhance financial independence of our residents. It is a four-week training programmes which is held across all the traditional divisions of the State.”

A business coach, Mr. Gbenga Ademujimi, took the graduands through tips to market their crafts and profit from the skills learnt.