Unemployment: Director urges Lagos LGs to embark on empowerment programmes

Mr Paul Oluwabiyi, a director in the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government, has called on local councils to embark on empowerment programmes to address the rising unemployment rate.

Oluwabiyi made the call on Thursday at the empowerment programme organised by the council as part of its monthly activities to encourage people to start their businesses.

According to him, empowering people, especially youths in the society, will reduce the number of hoodlums roaming about the streets on daily basis.

“What Surulere Local Government Area is doing is to encourage other councils to empower our youths as the state government alone cannot empower everybody,“ he said.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the council, Mrs Bamidele Hussain, said that the empowerment programme was the government’s way of giving back to the society.

“It is part of the government’s programme that we should go and employ, but employment does not mean white collar jobs alone.

“You have to empower people to start businesses or to increase the businesses they are doing, “ Hussain said.

Two beneficiaries of the council’s empowerment initiative, Mrs Safiyat Williams and Mr Fatai Musare, lauded the efforts of the council in empowering people in the council area.

Williams, a 64-year-old pensioner and trader, said that she was given a fridge and some provisions to set up and improve her business.

“I am so happy because I am a pensioner, but this business will give me added advantage and other source of income,“ she said.

Musare, a 49-year-old businessman, on his part, said that he was given a ladder and recharge cards to improve his business.

“I deal in selling of recharge cards and also I rent out ladders.

“A programme like this will enhance our businesses and it will reduce poverty in the society, “ he said.