Lawmaker sponsor 250 constituent’s vocational training

By Olanrewaju Adesanya

More than 250 successful applicants have been enlisted as beneficiaries of the skill acquisition and empowerment programme bankrolled by Hon.(TPL)Rasheed Makinde,who represents the Ifako Ijaiye II constituency at the Lagos State of Assembly.

The lawmaker, who echoed the poise of the present day government at leaving no stone unturned to tackle economic inequality amongst the citizenry,urged all unemployed people to latch on the various empowerment opportunities available to make them self reliant.

Makinde notes that the government is daily devising means to address the economic issues confronting the land.

“Self employment can easily transform people formerly without a gainful employment to employers of labour, thereby building the base within the labour force and easing the pressure on the labour market.

“The scope of trainings captured in this empowerment scheme are listed as follows; Make up, tie and dye (adire), catering, liquid soup and perfume production, bead making etc.

“This opportunity is opened to all and sundry, irrespective of ethnic, religious or political affiliations.

“The purpose is to lift the people out of poverty through capacity building and empowerment that can give them basic knowledge to be self reliant and establish themselves, as equipments will be made available to them in order to make immediate delivery of well packaged products seamless.

“The government is caring and devising every means possible to lift people out of poverty. It is the responsibility of the elected officers to lead people into prosperity, this should be seen as one of those attempts.

“This is not limited to any clime, educated applicants who are not skilled in vocational training must take full benefit. White collar jobs are not in abundance, in fact, not everyone should have white collar jobs, there are more sleeve-up jobs with very good remunerations.

He added that,”out of the over three hundred applicants,we expect to churn out 250 qualified hands at least, out of which a hundred of them will be catered for by providing them with necessary tools to kit up on whatever vocation they might have been trained on.

“It is an initiative put in place by one of our subsidiaries and by the grace of God I want to continue with it,even by expanding itto touch other areas yet to be covered.

He urged the beneficiaries to take up the opportunity and make good use of it.

Alhaja Noimot Adejumo, Coordinator Makinde Formidable Esteem group, initiators of the programme.

While giving her keynote speech notes that the gesture is a sign that genuine politicians who still care about the self reliance of the people are still available,citing Makinde as an enduring sample.

“We are going to intensively train more that 250 constituents for three weeks in the act of make up, bead making,soap making,catering,tie and dye and more. It is all geared towards poverty eradication.

The APC chairman of Ojokoro Local Government, Prince Adewale Bello while declaring the commencement of the three weeks empowerment urge the beneficiaries to keep to time so as to benefit maximally.

“Makinde is trying and we shall soon give him award along with other performing political office holders in Ojokoro.” He said

Dr Waleel Ipaye the leader of the Mandate Movement in Ojokoro,notes that Makinde has been passionate about politics.

“He is selfless and service driven, a man whose earnings at the state Assembly is known to us,we even wonder how he is sustaining this.

“It pays to learn a Handwork,it is better.

Justice Forum member, Mr.James Adeyeye Oshatuyi note that,Makinde has raised the bar beyond what he met in all ramifications.

We have been having Assembly lawmakers Makinde is number one and he is doing it selflessly.

The programme also featured a youngster who got enlisted in the Nigeria Airforce, Master Adewale Badamosi courtesy Hon Rasheed Makinde,he was ushered into the hands of God for care and protection via prayers said by both the Christian and Muslim leaders present.