LCDA equips 53 youths with vocational skills

To reduce poverty and promote economic growth in Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the council chairman, Mayor Dele Oshinowo, has empowered 53 youths with vocational skills in tailoring, hairdressing, makeup, leatherwork, and catering among others.

The empowerment programme, tagged “We Lift Initiative,” started in 2019 and has empowered thousands of youths in the area, equipping them with skills to become self-reliant and employers of labour.

During the graduation ceremony, Oshinowo urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the skills acquired. He also implored them not to sell the equipment.
He revealed that a team has been set up to track the beneficiaries’ progress and deployment of the skills and equipment given. Oshinowo assured the people of Agboyi-Ketu that more developmental projects would be executed in the area.

“We will soon complete our ICT hub which is a first-of-its-kind in Lagos. Once it is ready, I will implore mothers to enroll their children for coding, programming, graphics designing classes as these are the next big thing in the world.“

In his remarks, Oba Isiaka Oyero, the king of Ketu, commended Oshinowo, saying he has been a wonderful chairman from inception. Bunmi Adebote, one of the beneficiaries, who was trained in leatherwork, appreciated the chairman for providing employment opportunities for the jobless.

“I am physically challenged, but they didn’t discriminate, and my training was for six months,” she said.

Abdullah Adejobi, another beneficiary, who learnt shoe making, said he has made about 2000 pairs of shoes. “If other local councils could emulate this initiative, it would reduce crime, help the youths, and grow the economy,” he said.

Ronke Asobo, a beneficiary, who got trained on fashion designing, said the programme would help the youths, especially now that vocational skill is essential in today’s society.