7th December, 2019
4,885 youths have graduated from the 17 Skill Acquisition Centres across the Five Divisions of Lagos State for the year 2019 session.
Speaking at the annual graduation ceremony held at De’ Blue Roof, LTV, the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu stated that as part of the Lagos State Poverty Alleviation strategies, the state government has provided the opportunity for young people to enhance their socio-economic wellbeing through vocational skills acquisition.
She said the skill acquisition programme is symbolic as the state is empowering another set of youths to improve the Small and Medium Scale Businesses in the State.
While imploring other youths to take advantage of the programmes under WAPA at the various Skill Acquisition Centers across the five divisions of the State, Dr Sanwo-Olu wants graduands to master the art of packaging to give uniqueness to their products.
She, however, implored the management of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to initiate the enrolment of retirees into the Skill Acquisition Programme a year before retirement to enable them to remain relevant and financially stable after retirement.
In her own remarks, the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat encouraged graduands to utilize the opportunity of the skill acquisition programme as they set out to showcase the knowledge they have acquired.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Bolaji Dada stated that the ceremony marked the beginning of a new phase of life for the graduands who have remained dedicated throughout their training period.
She added that it is remarkable to know that women empowerment has been at the front burner of successive governments in the State and the present administration has also identified the challenges of women in the society and initiated policies that can only be addressed through such programmes.
The various vocational training undertaken by the graduands includes fashion designing, hat making, bead stringing and aluminium fabrication among others.
Top government functionaries present at the event were the Lagos State Head of Service, represented by Mrs Boladele Dapo-Thomas and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Oluyemi Kalesanwo among others.