Lagos empowers 1,500 youths, women with working tools

Says move to build resilient economy

Lagos State Government has empowered 1,500 fresh beneficiaries of Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI) programme across the 20 local councils and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in state with working equipment through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

In a statement, yesterday, the working equipment include tilling machines, shawarma grillers and toasters, fabricating machines, sewing machines, basic barbing kits with sterilising kits and generator sets, and hairdressing equipment, among others.

The working tools were presented to the beneficiaries on Wednesday during the 2024 edition of the initiative organised by the ministry at the Blue Roof, Ikeja, Lagos State.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who spoke at the event, disclosed that 10,000 beneficiaries in the last five years had benefited from different economic empowerment equipment and gadgets through the initiative programme.

He said that the programme was designed to uplift vulnerable women and indigent youths by providing them with the tools and support they needed to start and grow their own businesses.

The governor also said that empowerment programmes being done in the state were carried out to build a resilient economy befitting a modern mega city. He added that the MESI programme also shows his administration’s commitment to consistently empower residents of the state to create an inclusive and prosperous society.

He congratulated the beneficiaries of the programme and advised them to make good use of the equipment given to them.
Sanwo-Olu, however, commended the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Bolaji Cecilia Dada, and her team for their tireless effort in ensuring that the programme continues to gain momentum, reaching every nook and cranny of the society and making sure that no one is left behind.

Speaking earlier, Dada said MESI programme is tailored to reach out to the socio-economically disadvantaged women, indigent youths and old students of skills acquisition centres via distribution of basic empowerment tools and equipment as poverty alleviating gesture for the vulnerable women and indigent youths.

She applauded the state government’s passion for the general upliftment of the teeming masses, which remains unparalleled in the anal of the humanitarian gesture and socio-economic interventions as a state.

She noted that the programme under the administration of T.H.E.M.ES plus agenda was rechristened as Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI).

“This decision undoubtedly was borne out of your shared hybrid vision and burning desire to improve on the status quo through deliberate provisioning of economic empowerment assets for our teeming vulnerable women and indigent youths who are in the multi-various Micro, small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs),” she said.

She applauded the state government’s passion for the general upliftment of the teeming masses, which remains unparalleled in anals of the humanitarian gesture and socio-economic interventions as a state.

“This is evidenced by the yearly geometric increase in the budgetary allocation and eventual approval and release of funds for this programme over the last five years.

“ As Oliver Twist, we are asking for more, as this also serves as a palliative to help raise the status of people from dependency to independence. It is therefore without prejudice that I dare say that your kind benevolence and official blessings, towards this highly humanitarian ministry, have been the catalyst that has enabled WAPA to grow in leaps and bounds, increasing the product line, in its MESI programme from the hitherto limited traditional gadgets earlier mentioned to its, ever-expanding product line to include but not limited to higher economic value assets like cake mixer machine, Aluminium fabrication machine, two-phase burner with 12.5kg gas cylinder and 30 inches cooking pot plus two giant spoons for caterers, sharwama toasters, manicure and pedicure sets in bags, barbing kits, tile laying machine and others.

“In addition to the above-mentioned expanded product line, the Ministry is also going to give out over 200 Point of Service (POS) machines to some of the beneficiaries with start-up funds and free registration with the Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC). Again, the Ministry recently through its Department of Poverty Alleviation trained 300 women in the Catfish business, out of which an outstanding number of 100 beneficiaries will receive free Catfish feeds to enhance their business growth. We covered over six communities namely Ikorodu, Agege, Mushin, Lagos Island, Badagry and Epe. I am also pleased to inform you that N50,000 cash grants will be given to 50 Makoko Fish Sellers today to support their businesses. In more specific terms, this administration has succeeded in empowering over 10,000 beneficiaries in the last five years as a people-oriented government covering different economic empowerment equipment and gadgets through this program.”