LASG urges youths to embrace entrepreneurship, vocational skills

Lagos State government has implored youths to embrace entrepreneurship and vocational skills, as it would help them contribute to the economic growth of the state, aside being self-reliant and employers of labour.

Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Education, Tokunbo Wahab, stated this in his keynote address at the graduation ceremony for the 703 youths trained in various vocations and entrepreneurship skills across the six education districts of the state. He stated that the nine-month vocational and entrepreneurship training programme engaged the youths in activities that would make them contribute to the socio-economic development of the society and shun vices capable of undermining the development efforts of the state government.

Congratulating the 248 graduating trainees of Igbogbo and 113 graduands of Surulere and Sabo vocational centres, Wahab, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Adeniran Kasali, disclosed that other participants also graduated from the state’s vocations centres, which had a total of 703 students completing their competency development vocational training programmes across seven locations.

He explained that various ongoing empowerment and entrepreneurship skills programmes embarked upon by the state government, such as the Jobs Initiatives Lagos (JIL), Eko Digital Skills, Adult Literacy Education, and Vocational training among others were in tandem with the security and governance pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda of the state. He said they were able to train and empower just 748 youths in 2020 due to the pandemic but said this year would be better. Congratulating the beneficiaries, he urged them to fully utilise the benefits of the scheme to justify their huge investments.

Earlier, Director, Agency for Mass Education, Oluwakemi Kalesanwo describing the training programme as the best way of empowering youths, hinted that some of the graduating trainees have started making money with their new vocations.

Oba of Igbogbo Kingdom, Oba Semiu Orimadegun Kasali, commended the state government for initiating empowerment programmes targeted at youths.