Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has assured the Lagos State Cooperatives College (LASCOCO) of his administration’s commitment to function optimally. 
 
Sanwo-Olu, who made this known at the maiden convocation of Professional Diploma Programme of LASCOCO, at Oko-Oba, Agege, said the support was necessary in turning out professionals and in the creation of the platform and opportunities for Nigerians to pursue and develop career in co-operative business enterprises. 
 
He said that his administration remained relentless in the effort to convert emerging threats to opportunities, leveraging on digitalisation technologies to deliver learning and educational outcomes.
     
The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Lola Akande, said: “We have thus established this college out of the need to complement efforts towards the creation of an economy that is knowledge driven and skill-based in appreciation of the key role of co-operatives in enterprise development, job creation and generation of massive economic opportunities for the teeming population of the state.” 
   
In his address welcome, the Chairman of the college’s governing council, Oyewale Raji, noted that in the state, the number of registered co-operative societies had grown from 108 in 1967 to well over 15,000 with a net asset of N70.7b according to the mid-year report of the co-operative department for year 2016.
   
Honourary awards of fellowship of the college were conferred on a former Commissioner for Commerce, Olayinka Oladunjoye and three former permanent secretaries, Wale Raji, Olajide Bashorun and Olalekan Akodu, for their immense contributions to the development of the college.
   
Bashorun thanked the college for the honour bestowed on them, just as Oladunjoye announced that she will be meeting one of the college’s needs by adopting the library, which will operate as a physical and e-learning centre.
 
Five of the graduating students, who distinguished themselves in the course of the professional diploma programme were given prizes, with Veronica Akingbade awarded the overall best student, while the special student award was given to Ogunjinrin Oluwakemi, a person living with disability for her tenacity and resilience during the programme.