The Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Bolaji Dada, says the state has empowered 5,512 vulnerable women and youths in various vocational skills.
Dada said this at the graduation of the 2023/ 2024 WAPA skill acquisition programme on Wednesday in Lagos.
She said the vocational skills would fast-track personal growth and economic development of the state, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria.
NAN reports that the 5,512 beneficiaries are from the 19 skills acquisition centres across the state.
The beneficiaries were trained in various skills which included fashion designing and dressmaking, catering and hotel management.
Others are hairdressing and cosmetology, computer studies and aluminium fabrication among others.
Dada said the ceremony was a testament to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to empowering women, men and youths and uplifting Lagos communities.
She said the state had empowered various segments through initiatives such as the Micro Enterprise Support Initiative, a programme designed to uplift vulnerable men, women and indigent youths and listed the graduands to include individuals from vulnerable groups, including refugees, out-of-school adolescents and retiring civil servants.
“The ministry recognises that empowerment can break the cycle of poverty and uplift communities by providing access to skill acquisition programmes.
“The state government, through the ministry’s skill acquisition centres, has also trained a diverse group of individuals comprising refugees under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,” she said.
She added that the current administration had demonstrated its commitment to empowering and supporting citizens through the ‘Life Skills Economic Empowerment Programme.’
Dada commended the graduands for their hard work, resilience and determination in the past 12 months.
She urged them to leverage the skills acquired to transform their lives and others around them.
