Alli pledges entrepreneurship, poverty reduction drive if elected Oyo governor
By Adejayan Gbenga
The All Progressives Congress (AP) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has pledged to prioritise entrepreneurship development and poverty reduction if elected governor in 2027.
Alli made the pledge on Friday at the grand finale of the Federal Government’s National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) training programme at Kensington Adebutu Hall, University of Ibadan, where 700 youths received vocational and digital skills training, alongside business support equipment and digital devices.
The senator interacted with participants and graduates of the 10-day programme, discussing their skills, aspirations and plans to apply the knowledge acquired to establish businesses, create jobs and improve their livelihoods.
He said his proposed administration would focus on equipping residents with practical skills and supporting them to establish businesses, noting that entrepreneurship and poverty alleviation would be central to his development agenda if elected.
Alli also met a physically challenged student among the beneficiaries and encouraged him to apply his newly acquired skills productively, stressing the importance of using the opportunity to improve his circumstances and contribute positively to society.
The programme, organised by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, featured training in artificial intelligence, graphics design, makeup artistry and fashion design. At the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on TVEE, Dr. Abiola Arogundade, said the initiative was designed to tackle poverty by equipping participants with marketable skills and creating pathways to sustainable economic opportunities.
Arogundade disclosed that 30 participants received specialised training in artificial intelligence and graphics design, while 85 were trained in makeup artistry and another 85 in fashion design. She added that 500 beneficiaries received digital devices to support their participation in the digital economy.
The initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s plan to lift five million Nigerians out of poverty over four years, with plans to extend the programme to other geopolitical zones. The event attracted political leaders and other stakeholders, including Senator Yunus Abiodun Akintunde, who joined discussions on skills development, youth empowerment and expanding economic opportunities.
