Itire-Ikate: Apatira empowers 349 skill acquisition graduands with working tools

The Chairman of Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area (IILCDA) in Lagos state, Mr Ahmed Apatira, has empowered 349 students who graduated from the Council’s 4 weeks skill acquisition programme with working equipment worth millions of Naira.

WesternPost reports that the skill acquisition programme comprises Catering, Tailoring, Makeup and Hairdressing.

Over 75 students graduated from the tailoring department while 80 students, 74 students and 110 students graduated from hairdressing, catering and makeup departments respectively.

Speaking with journalists, Apatira said the purpose of the empowerment was to breed new set of enterprenuers that would drive local economy not job seekers, saying that the youths need to be self-reliant.

The Council Chairman stated that the era of relying on white collar jobs is fast fading out, adding that the graduands through their economic activities would enhance the economy of the local government.

He added ” This is a self-reliance economic empowerment for the people of Itire/Ikate local council development area. I am confident that through their economic activities, they will add value to the economy of the local government.

” I will advise the graduands to remain focus, steadfast, and sustain the tempo. They should not get distracted but be more productive”.

Earlier, the Vice Chairperson, Mrs Yetunde Jimba, said the local government would always ensure the youths are productive, adding that the empowerment would reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth.

Jimba said the government believes in the capacity and ability of the graduands in stimulating the economy of the local council through their trade.

She advised them to be good ambassadors of the local council wherever they go in the state and Nigeria at large.

The best graduating student, Mrs Esther Adeisa, expressed gratitude to the council chairman, praising him for organising the skill acquisition programme.

Adeisa who is in her 70s, said that she would begin to use the tailoring machine to train the younger ones in her environment, stating that it would further increase the number of enterprenuers in the local government.

” I have it as plan to use this sewing machine to train the younger ones in my area, so that we have more skilled fashion designers in the local government. And you know, through this, we will have more enterprenuers and self-reliant youths in our local government. I will also start using it to do business by sewing cloths for the people around me. I will make money through it and use the money for myself and family.

” I thank our Council Chairman for this empowerment. He has made us to be self-reliant and not depend on people to survive. I will continue to pray for Apatira everyday”, said Adeisa.

Another beneficiary, Miss Moyinoluwa Dada, a graduate of Hairdressing, said that she would use the equipment given to her to start hairdressing business, adding that she had been looking for opportunity to start business of her own.

Dada said that the worth of the equipment given to her was more than she expected, adding that they were tools she could not afford on her own.

Meanwhile, one of the instructors, Mrs Oluwakemi Adeniyi, advised the graduands to use the acquired skills to better their life and stimulate the economy of the local government and Lagos at large.

Adeniyi disclosed that the graduands could use the certificate obtained to seek soft loan from the state government, saying that the certificate was recognise by government agencies.

She advised them to start their businesses in a little way and not wait till when they access huge fund, enlightening the beneficiaries on the impact marketing communication would have on their businesses.

” This certificate you are holding is very valuable. You can use it to seek soft loan from the Lagos state government. It is a certificate recorgnise by the state government, so don’t think it is valueless. Take it to access soft government loan and expand by re-investing the profits. Don’t eat up your business profit, re-invest and also inform people about your business. Through this, the sky is your limit. That is the secret behind business development “, said Adeniyi.

The graduation ceremony which was held in the council secretariat, was attended by the council executives, community leaders, political leaders and some residents of the local council.